On3 writer Ari Wasserman is ready to put Lincoln Riley's feet into the fire

While five years may not seem like an eternity in college football, it represents a definitive crossroads for Lincoln Riley. Having spent exactly five seasons at Oklahoma,

Riley now enters his fifth year at USC with the weight of expectation heavier than ever. To maintain his reputation as a premier strategist, the "offensive genius" must translate potential into elite on-field results starting now.

The heat is on Lincoln Riley to guide USC to the playoffs in 2026

Riley’s 35-18 record at USC equates to a .660 winning percentage, but the numbers don't tell the full story of his turbulent tenure. Since arriving in Los Angeles, Riley has navigated a chaotic landscape, guiding the program through a high-profile move from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten. Combined with the volatility of the NIL era and the transfer portal, these shifting roads have made it difficult to establish a firm foundation for a program that was already sputtering long before he took the job.

Riley will find no favors in the 2026 calendar, as he prepares to lead the Trojans through perhaps the most demanding season since his arrival in Los Angeles.

The Trojans’ 2026 slate is headlined by a gauntlet of three former College Football Playoff participants from last season in Ohio State, Oregon, and the defending National Champion Indiana. Fortunately for Riley, two of those matchups will take place at the Coliseum. USC has defended its turf well since joining the Big Ten, with Riley dropping only one conference home game which was a narrow overtime thriller against Penn State in 2024.

Inside the program, the message is clear and that is to not run from the fire. The Trojans view this grueling 2026 slate as the perfect opportunity to prove they belong among the elite. After years of falling just short, facing the best in the country head-on gives Riley and his squad a chance to finally break through and claim the one thing the program has yet to achieve. An invitation to the College Football Playoff.

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