Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts during the game against the Missouri State Bears at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

How USC Trojans' Pregame Team Gear Reflects Mentality Shift In 2025 Season

Originally posted on USC Trojans on SI | By Kyron Samuels | Last updated Aug 31, 2025 9:00 PM ET

In recent years, pregame entrances at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum have become a fashion show. Players like now Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams donned extravagant custom outfits that showcased flare and personality. Similar to the NFL and other professional leagues, the entrance had become a spectacle.

On Saturday, the USC Trojans entered the Coli for their home opener against Missouri State noticeably different, wearing a team black Nike team jumpsuit as a unit. It was a marked change and one that was symbolic of a shift in mentality as opposed to previous seasons, and it was a decision made by the players.

“There’s been a lot of changes in our program, particularly in the last few months. If you ask these guys, we don’t show up to the meeting, we don’t really do anything unless it’s all together. We don’t wear hats in meetings. Not even staff. Everyone is calling each other out. It’s pretty cool. It’s a united group,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said.

“They want it to be that way. I asked the guys, because obviously, in the past, we’ve done it a little bit more NFL style and let the guys wear some different things. I asked our guys. I gave them a choice, and this is what they wanted,” Riley said of the team wearing a uniform jumpsuit instead of individual outfits.

What a team wears into the stadium has no bearing on the outcomes of football games in reality. However, the togetherness and consciousness to move as a single entity in everything they do can absolutely translate to the field and beyond. That singular focus and unified presence trickles down to every facet of the program and becomes second nature.

“It’s a good start,” Riley said of the historic 73-13 win. “It’s nothing more than that. It’s nothing less than that. It’s a really good start. It’s always great when you’re able to play a lot of guys right there in the beginning. It’s healthy for the football team.”

Nine different Trojan players found their way into the endzone for a total of 10 touchdowns. A Trojan team hadn't scored that many points in a game since a 74-0 win over the California Golden Bears 95 years ago. It was also the Trojans' highest-scoring season opener since a 76-0 win over the UCLA Bruins in 1929. It was a historic opening in every sense.

The Trojans have a long way to go towards reaching their ultimate goal, but the changes made this offseason, all the way down to what they wear entering the stadium, seem to be paying off already. The attention to detail and lack of ego was noticeable on the field, and should it hold, the Trojans could be in for a year of resurgence.

This article first appeared on USC Trojans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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