Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans are gearing up for a crucial 2025 season. But to college football insider Chris Vannini, he is hopeful for a breakthrough from the program.
Vannini published a list of the 136 competing teams he believes will have great performances or underperform throughout the 2025 campaign. He ranked the Trojans at the 42nd spot, expressing concerns about their downward trend.
“The Trojans keep trending downward under Lincoln Riley, but if QB Jayden Maiava develops and the defense continues to improve, a step forward could be ahead,” Vannini said.
What lies ahead for Lincoln Riley, USC
It is a reasonable concern for Chris Vannini to have. He knows that Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans have plenty of talent but wants to know how they adjust in their second year as a Big Ten squad.
Riley has been with the Trojans since 2022, which saw him take the program from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten from 2024 onward. He has a strong overall record of 26-14 after three seasons, going 17-10 in conference play.
However, the 2024 season was a tough one for the USC squad. They finished with a 7-6 record, going 4-5 in their Big Ten matchups. They ranked ninth out of 18 teams in the league standings but did enough to secure bowl eligibility. The Trojans ended the year on a positive note, beating the Texas A&M Aggies 35-31 in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Fans can forgive Riley and the team for not having the best performance in their inaugural campaign in the Big Ten. However, they won't excuse the same results moving forward, placing plenty of emphasis on the program to do better as a contender. With a coach like Riley, who brought the Oklahoma Sooners into national contention from 2017 to 2021, expectations will be high on him to excel this year.
The Trojans will be at home when they get the season underway. They will host the Missouri State Bears on Aug. 30 at 4:30 p.m. ET.
