USC Trojans’ Season Takes a Troubling Turn

It’s amazing how fast the landscape of college football can shift.

Not too long ago, the USC Trojans were basking in optimism. Under Lincoln Riley, the team had found it challenging to secure victories on the road, especially against major opponents. In the 2025 season, for instance, the Trojans finished with a 9-3 record, with losses at Illinois, Oregon, and Notre Dame.

However, expectations for 2026 were high. USC managed to bring in the top recruiting class in the nation and retained starting quarterback Jayden Maiava, who was entering his third year and second full season as the starter. Adding to the excitement, new defensive coordinator Gary Patterson was expected to lend his extensive experience and knack for maximizing talent, honed at TCU.

Despite a daunting schedule that included matchups against Oregon, Penn State, Ohio State, and Indiana, many viewed 2026 as pivotal for the program. The goal was clear: win at least ten games and secure a spot in the College Football Playoff. By early October, despite a few lackluster performances, the Trojans were asserting themselves.

The SEC’s chaos opened up possibilities for at-large playoff spots. Even after a disappointing home defeat to a struggling Oregon team, USC stood at 5-1 heading into a crucial road game against Penn State. Surprisingly, the Trojans looked prepared, and despite challenges—like the raucous “White Out” crowd, a motivated PSU team, and a long trip to the Eastern Time Zone—they managed a 31-23 victory just before their bye week.

In the meantime, Ohio State lost their starting quarterback, Julian Sayin, which made their impending Halloween matchup appear more favorable. All USC had to do was navigate another away game at Wisconsin before gearing up for a major home clash. But things took a turn for the worse in that game.

Right from the start, the Trojans fell into familiar patterns seen under Riley: poorly organized, lacking discipline, and unable to regain footing when adversity struck. The offensive line, touted as a potential strength, faltered under pressure from Wisconsin’s defense, which had just allowed 41 points against Notre Dame. Maiava struggled significantly, throwing two interceptions—one of which was thanks to a deflected pass—and incurred several costly intentional grounding penalties, including one that led to a blocked field goal attempt.

The running game? Nonexistent. They recorded a shocking negative total of 17 rushing yards, with Maiava contributing an incredulous negative 57 yards. There were a fair number of dropped passes as well, with one particular sequence late in the second quarter standing out painfully.

Wisconsin had mounted a lengthy touchdown drive that consumed nearly eight minutes, handing the ball back to USC with the Badgers leading 10-7. With just under two minutes left in the half and full control of their timeouts, the Trojans needed to capitalize. Unfortunately, Boobie Feaster muffed the kickoff, forcing them to start at their own 7-yard line. After five plays and gaining a first down, they ended the half at their own 8-yard line.

In the second half, Riley’s decisions puzzled many. The Badgers initially moved the ball to the USC 16-yard line but faced a crucial fourth-and-2 situation. Wisconsin lined up in an unusual formation, which seemed to catch the Trojans off guard. Instead of calling a timeout to reset his defense, Riley opted to let the play unfold, resulting in another Wisconsin touchdown and extending their lead to 17-7.

USC’s first drive of the fourth quarter was equally disheartening. After moving to the Wisconsin 33-yard line, Maiava took a sack that pushed them back to third-and-20. Despite gaining some yardage, they set up for a lengthy 53-yard field goal attempt, which was further complicated by a delay of game penalty. Instead of opting for a safer play, Riley took a gamble on a 59-yard field goal that fell well short.

The Badgers immediately capitalized, driving the field for a crushing, game-ending touchdown. This not only marked USC’s second loss but, arguably, sealed Riley’s fate in Los Angeles.

It wouldn’t be fair to place all the blame on Riley; Maiava’s performance was shaky, appearing hurried and making questionable decisions. The offensive line repeatedly failed, struggling against relentless pressure while also faltering in the run game. Yet again, the USC defense failed to step up, even against a Wisconsin team that favored a primarily one-dimensional offensive strategy.

Wisconsin managed just 3.5 yards per play and a mere 200 total yards, with only 58 passing yards. Despite this, the Trojans still allowed three touchdown drives.

Looking past individual mistakes, the broader outcome is hard to justify. Wisconsin isn’t on par with teams like Ohio State or Notre Dame, yet USC’s offensive challenges seemed insurmountable. The seven points scored in this game were the fewest ever for a Riley-coached team. Five years in, we’re still seeing the same recurring issues along with a defense that can’t deliver when the offense falters. Meanwhile, Indiana managed to scrape by Michigan with solid defensive stops—something that has been elusive for Riley’s USC.

Despite still having chances to make the playoffs by winning against Ohio State, Indiana, Maryland, and UCLA, it’s hard to envision USC winning all four. More likely, another disappointing season looms, perhaps ending in an 8-4 or, at best, 9-3 record. Given the investment in the program, such a resolution is hardly adequate.

In this fifth year under Riley, USC has yet to reach the College Football Playoff and has shown minimal defensive improvements. With Caleb Williams in his final year in Los Angeles and a regular season finish of 7-5, it’s becoming increasingly evident that something isn’t working—and probably never will.

Meanwhile, just across town, Bob Chesney has put UCLA in a strong position for the College Football Playoff in his first season. Just a week after defeating Wisconsin 17-7 with a backup quarterback no less.

What more is there? How can the SC athletic department move forward? How many more elite recruiting classes does Riley need to stop these kinds of unacceptable losses?

Winning in college football is undoubtedly more challenging now, thanks to NIL and the transfer portal. Still, programs like Georgia and Ohio State consistently find ways to win 10 or more games—something Riley managed to achieve only once, in 2022, before falling to Tulane in a stunning defensive collapse.

This pattern just isn’t cutting it. And if the Buckeyes run away with another victory next Saturday, those “Fire Riley” chants will likely ring loud and clear at the Coliseum—too loud for the SC administration to overlook.