More than usual, a lot at stake for USC during upcoming 2025 season

There is a lot of pressure on the current USC team. Not that there wouldn't ordinarily be expectations considering the history of the Trojans anyway. It is safe to say, in 2025, there is seemingly more at stake, and the upcoming season will be especially critical for the future of the program.

Many view the need to play well in order to keep ahold of what has ended up becoming the top 2026 and 2027 recruiting classes. While those fears are likely to be overstated, it does stand to reason that a disastrous 2025 would at least cause some of the current commits to raise an eyebrow.

The job status of coach Lincoln Riley is secure enough that it would practically take a winless year for him to be shown the door. Even from that aspect, it would be better to have a nine-plus-win season and not even to have such thoughts even enter into the conversation regarding the Trojan HC.

While those two aspects are legitimate to think about, in all likelihood, those are going to be non-factors following the conclusion of the 2025 season.

What is at stake is how college football as a whole will currently view the program, and Trojan fans are about to get a real-time snapshot of the progress that has been made. This will then afford the fans the opportunity to form a judgment if things are indeed good enough to warrant any potential continued optimism.

For the players and staff, these types of ideas and discussions do not enter into the fold.

Focus remains on task at hand for USC

Instead, their worry will be on getting better. They know better than anyone that the on-field product has not met the standard. Fortunately for USC fans, the response from the Trojans has been a holistic, renewed effort in cleaning up the areas that need fixing while building on any positives.

Those in the building truly believe that things are on the right track. There isn't, however, anything that can do a better job at reinforcing and reassuring than winning.

For that reason, the upcoming season is both an opportunity and an incredibly valuable tool that can be used to reaffirm the trust in the current undertakings that take place every day in Troy.