When Lincoln Riley arrived in Los Angeles before the 2022 season, the expectation was simple: restore the University of Southern California to the upper echelon of college football.
A Promising Start
The first year delivered an 11‑3 record and a Heisman Trophy for quarterback Caleb Williams, sparking optimism that the program’s long‑dormant power could be revived.
Since then, the Trojans have posted three consecutive seasons with sub‑par conference finishes — 8‑5, 7‑6 and 9‑4 — and have never risen higher than the tenth spot in the final College Football Playoff rankings.
The Win‑Now Clock
Analyst Josh Pate recently warned that Riley is now operating in a win‑now mode, suggesting that continued underperformance could jeopardize his position, while the broader USC standard demands championship contention.