Lincoln Riley setting the bar for USC in 2026: 'I want the eyes on our program'

Lincoln Riley feels his experience as a college football coach can uniquely help the USC Trojans traverse their 2026 season.

This is a season with a ton of expectations on the Trojans. At the very least, there's a ton of pressure.

USC has not made the College Football Playoff in Riley's four seasons as head coach, including missing the 12-team CFP era both seasons.

USC is one of the winningest programs in college football, but it's been over 20 years since the Trojans last reached the top of the mountain. Riley has always been an elite recruiter, but for all the talent that has come to Los Angeles, the Trojans have had so little to show for it.

So yes, the pressure is on for Riley and USC, but he believes this is what he's built for as a head coach.

“I’m just kind of a product of my own experiences. I mean, I’ve only ever been a head coach at two blue blood schools – I don’t know anything different,” Riley said on Tuesday at Big Ten media days, speaking about the high expectations for USC in 2026 (h/t On3). “I’ve never walked into Media Days, and there was anything less than championship expectations. I don’t know what it feels like to be anything different to be honest. I want the expectations there. I want the eyes on our program. I want people to be excited about what we’re doing like they are right now. Then it’s our opportunity and on us to go and do it. And we have the people in our building to get that done."

Lincoln Riley believes USC Trojans have championship depth 

Specifically, Riley believes USC can compete at the point of attack. He likes both the offensive and defensive line, but to win a championship in a 12-team playoff, teams must have depth.

That's where Riley thinks the Trojans can separate from the pack in 2026, and a lack of depth is why he believes the 2025 Trojans finished with tough losses to No. 7 Oregon and then to TCU in the Alamo Bowl to end the season.

“Our depth was not quite what it needed to be for us to close the season the way that we wanted to," he explained. "I just feel a big difference there that not only our top-end guys, or maybe our guys that start, but as this season unfolds, we’re going to be able to play different guys."

Riley says the Trojans have "championship depth." That belief will certainly be tested in 2026 as USC's schedule after the first four games of the season features top-end teams like Oregon, Washington, Penn State and Ohio State.