USC's offseason success leads to high expectations for Lincoln Riley

Many of the 'way-too-early' polls are high on USC and for good reason. The Trojans are on the rise after the best high school recruiting class in the country, and they added some key parts from the transfer portal that will bring experience and proven production. 

Maybe that's why Cody Nagel from CBS Sports believes that USC is in a great spot to navigate a tough conference schedule and make the College Football Playoff 12-team bracket. 

USC is on everyone's early CFP watch list

Nagel has USC ranked 11th in his early projections and predicts a CFP berth:

"After a few seasons of ups and downs, Lincoln Riley's fifth year in Los Angeles is when USC finally puts it all together. Quarterback Jayden Maiava returns for his senior season, while the 2026 class of transfers and recruits adds immediate-impact players. If Riley's high-powered offense clicks early and Gary Patterson stabilizes the defense, USC could reach the CFP — even with games against five of the other six Big Ten teams ranked in Marcello's way-too-early top 25."

We're still a long way away from the 202t6 season, and it's going to be a long spring and summer in Los Angeles as the young players get acclimated to being in college and the incoming veterans deal with learning a new system.

However, as we continue to go through the early weeks of the offseason, it's clear that the pressure will be on Lincoln Riley. He's had some good years and some disappointing years with USC and there are some people that still don't believe he is the right guy. But this is the first time during this era of college football that I believe he's getting everything he wants, from the early scheduling to the staff changes that saw Gary Patterson brought in as the new defensive coordinator.

The college football media is ready to believe in USC football for the 2026 season, but it's going to be up to Riley to make sure it all comes together.