The Lincoln Riley era in Southern California started off hot but, the last two seasons have been very underwhelming. The Trojans went all in poaching the rising star from Oklahoma but, the program hasn’t come close to returning to its place as a National Powerhouse through the first three seasons posting a 26-14 record.
Heading into Year 4 of Riley’s tenure, there is plenty of excitement and optimism around the program. The Trojans are starting to have the success on the recruiting trail they expected when landing Riley and they’re hoping that the wins will follow.
The expanded College Football Playoff format has made it to where USC should realistically compete for a bid on a yearly basis. This season, if USC is going to make the Playoff, three games are more important than every other game.
Illinois Fighting Illini
The USC Trojans and the Illinois Fighting Illini enter the season in a similar position as they land somewhere between the top tier teams and the teams with no chance to win the Big Ten. Both teams will need things to bounce their way this season and whichever team wins this game will have a great chance at making the Playoff given that they handle business in the prior games.
The Fighting Illini return a talented veteran core led by quarterback Luke Altmyer who was quietly one of the best quarterbacks in the Country last season. In the secondary, Illinois returns an impressive group with the four best pieces returning to the room which will make it tough for any team to pass on them.
Given that USC starts the season against Missouri State, Georgia Southern, and Purdue, the matchup against Illinois will be their first true test of the season. A win over Illinois would set the Trojans up nicely to go on a run this season while a loss makes the next stretch against Michigan, Notre Dame, and Nebraska look much tougher.
Oregon Ducks
The Oregon Ducks have dominated the USC Trojans as of late winning 7 of the last 10 matchups including 4 of the last 5. As two of the new Big Ten schools, these programs are constantly compared and Dan Lanning's team just dominated the Conference regular season while Lincoln Riley's team still appears to be stuck in the mud.
This season could be a strange down year for the Ducks as they deal with replacing a ton of NFL caliber talent which makes this the year to pounce if you're USC. The Ducks will be looking to make their way back to the Playoff and a win for Lincoln Riley's team would be massive for their chances and would make a massive statement.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The USC Trojans are just 1-4 in their last 5 matchups against Notre Dame as the Fighting Irish have proved to be a mismatch for the Trojans as of late. Frankly put, if the USC Trojans are going to compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff finally getting the program heading in the right direction, it starts with winning a game of this caliber. Notre Dame is coming off of a trip to the National Championship and will likely be competing with USC for an at-large bid into the College Football Playoff.
One of the biggest reasons this game is so important for USC is the identity of Notre Dame. As Jeremiyah Love returns, Notre Dame is going to pound the football and traditionally, if you run the ball against a Lincoln Riley led football team they’re going to miss tackles and wear down by the 4th quarter.
It's now Year 4 of the Lincoln Riley era in Southern California and the expectation is that the Trojans start competing for the College Football Playoff. Notre Dame is going to be a College Football Playoff contender once again, and the Trojans beating Notre Dame could vault them into the conversation for a bid to the Playoff.