The pressure on Lincoln Riley to make the College Football Playoff continues to mount with each season he doesn't get the Trojans over the top. Heading into 2026, USC fans will be pushing for the Trojans to get over the hump with a talented roster and quarterback Jayden Maiava back for another season. Adding to the expectations is the fact that USC signed the Nation's top ranked recruiting class this offseason.
Lincoln Riley jumped from Oklahoma to USC because of the recruiting advantages of being in California, and now he's finally tapped into them. The Trojans will need big contributions from freshmen to get to the Playoff, and USC certainly has the talented pieces to bank on.
Lincoln Riley will get big performances from these 3 freshmen
Luke Wafle
Anytime you sign Rivals' top ranked recruit in the Country, it's a massive win regardless of program. Luke Wafle arrives at USC as the type of player who could help the Trojans' defense take the next step as a unit. Wafle is already drawing rave reviews for a freshman, and should be a key piece of USC's pass rush.
Mark Bowman
Reliable veteran tight end Lake McRee is off to the NFL leaving USC with a major hole to fill in the offense. The Trojans were able to sign local star Mark Bowman from Mater Dei giving the team an elite athlete at the tight end position. While McRee was Mr. Reliable, Mark Bowman has a chance to be a big play threat for this offense.
Boobie Feaster
The USC Trojans are tasked with replacing early Day 1 and 2 NFL Draft picks Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane in one offseason. Coming in is true freshman Boobie Feaster who was a high school All-American at Texas' DeSoto. Feaster is an elite talent who would've been a 5-star if he didn't reclassify, but he's already built to be a star at the college level.