Lincoln Riley Faces Pressure to Improve USC Performance in 2025 Season

USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley faces growing pressure as the 2025 college football season approaches, following declining win totals each year since his hiring in 2022. Despite a strong start with an 11-3 record in his first season, USC finished 8-5 in 2023 and 7-6 in 2024, leading to criticism from former coach Urban Meyer, who emphasized that USC should consistently compete with top programs like Ohio State and Alabama and questioned whether eight wins are acceptable for the program. Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt highlighted a pivotal early-season game against Illinois as crucial for Riley to demonstrate progress and potentially reignite USC's playoff aspirations. Still, Riley remains confident and unbothered by the pressure, while USC continues to bolster its recruiting efforts, securing the No. 1 ranked 2026 class and targeting top players such as four-star wide receiver Ethan Feaster. Though some doubt Riley’s tenure due to recent underperformance, others defend his coaching reputation and self-analytical approach, noting that 2025 is a 'prove-it' year but not a do-or-die scenario given his track record and resources at USC.