Lincoln Riley warns Big Ten that USC Trojans are ready to win championships

Lincoln Riley’s tenure as head coach of the USC Trojans did not live up to expectations.

While there have been flashes of brilliance, particularly in the 2022 season, SC has yet to reach the College Football Playoff or compete for the Big Ten Championship in his first season in Los Angeles. Some of that can be attributed to Riley, as the Trojans’ defense has been atrocious, to say the least, in his first two years on the job.

But some of the underperformance may also be due to USC being completely unprepared for name, image and likeness-based recruiting.

Despite its wealthy alumni base, location in Los Angeles, and historic success, SC’s athletic department, coaching staff, and donor base were not properly aligned when the NIL went into effect. And recruiting suffered. After consistently being in the top 10 in the national rankings, SC dropped to 18th and 15th place in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Unsurprisingly, that’s about the same place the team finished nationally in overall success rate, according to most analytics-based rankings.

New general manager Chad Bowden has built the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation for 2026, thanks to better coordination and arming his prolific donor base. And Riley is already making some bold claims about it.

Riley Says USC Is More ‘Complete’ Team Than Ever

“We’re excited, Jim, you know, I think this is going to be the most complete roster we’ve ever had at USC,” Riley told Jim Rome on the latest episode of “The Jim Rome Show.” “We’re returning some really good, productive players that we believe are the best in their careers, including quarterback, offensive line, running back, some positions on the defensive line where you can historically say ‘hey, that’s pretty important’ in terms of returning production.”

Riley explained that it’s not just the returning talent that excites him, but also the “great class” they bring.

“We’ve got quite a bit, you know, which is an exciting starting point,” he continued. “Then we built a great class. We signed the number one recruiting class in the country.

“You know, it was great to get a lot of these guys here for spring ball. That combination is exciting from a roster standpoint. And we’re getting better every year.”

USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley takes the field on April 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

Riley went a little further, saying this class and returning talent puts them in position to compete for a “championship” at USC.

“I think it leads to a lot of optimism,” he said. “So yeah, I can’t wait for this season to come. You know, we came here to win championships. You know, that’s why you come to USC. And we definitely think this group is ready and positioned to do that.”

There is little doubt that this is Riley’s best squad at SC. Recruiting class, a good transfer class and key players returning to key positions. Jayden Maiava, Jakheem Stewart, incredible running backs, etc. We have improved for another year. The problem is that until SC wins a big game against a major opponent that they are “not expected” to win, no one will take them seriously. Yes, Riley beat Notre Dame with Caleb Williams and a blowout win over Michigan at the Coliseum in 2025. But the schedule in 2026 is daunting.

Ohio State, Oregon and Washington in Los Angeles. Penn State, Indiana and Wisconsin are on the way. Also a rivalry game against UCLA in the Rose Bowl. To seriously compete for the “championship,” Riley needs to beat Ohio State and Oregon on the road, or either of those plus Indiana and/or Penn State. Having a talented staff is one thing. Uncovering this talent is another thing. Do this and start talking.