USC fans are ready to give up on Lincoln Riley after tough first half vs. Nebraska

USC's struggles on the road under Lincoln Riley are well documented, and Saturday night the Trojans walked into Lincoln Memorial Stadium with a chance to prove that things were ready to change with a win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers. 

So far, it looks like more of the same as the Trojans trail 14-6 at the half. USC is 3-of-8 on third down and averaging just 3.6 yards per pass. The running game, however, has been effective, but not enough to get in the end zone. It's the sort of inefficiency that has Trojan fans at their wits end with Riley and his playcalling. 

Trojans struggling in the pass game

It was a tough first half for quarterback Jayden Maiava, who was off the mark repeatedly and finished just 6-of-16 for 57 yards against an aggressive Nebraska secondary. The Trojans are running the ball really well, averaging over seven yards per carry. King Miller has been a stud in the backfield, rushing for 82 yards on nine carries. 

With the running game rolling and USC trailing by just one score, fans are hoping that Riley will stick with the ground attack more in the second half and ease some of the pressure off of his rattled young quarterback. 

RIley signed a 10-year contract in 2022 worth at least $100 million dollars. It's reported that his buyout is one of the largest, if not the largest in college football history, making the likelihood of him being fired for a loss very slim.

USC has lost two straight conference games on the road. In both of those games, the Trojans gave up 34 points. Defensively, USC has been better through the first half against Nebraska, but they will have to hold off the Cornhuskers to start the second half. The six points at the half is a season low for the Trojans as well.