USC head coach Lincoln Riley led the Trojans to the verge of the College Football Playoff qualification last season, finishing with a 9-3 regular-season record. Despite an Alamo Bowl loss to the TCU Horned Frogs, Riley welcomed the No. 1 recruiting class in the country and the No. 26 transfer portal class to heighten expectations ahead of next season.
Why One Analyst Doubts Lincoln Riley’s Playoff Chances at USC
During Wednesday’s segment of the “Crain & Cone” podcast, analyst Jake Crain elevated the Michigan Wolverines above Riley’s Trojans in the Big Ten rankings and detailed why USC could fall short of the Playoff next season.
“I don’t worry about Lincoln Riley’s offense,” Crain said. “What I worry about is the balance of the team and how talented and deep you are in the trenches. Because I think for early Lincoln Riley’s tenure at USC, they were not good enough up front from a depth standpoint to make the playoff, win games in the playoff, or win the Big Ten.
“I think the depth has gotten better. I still don’t think USC is good enough to put above Michigan because of up front. I think Michigan should be above USC because of the line of scrimmage. Michigan has proven to me that year after year, they’ll beat your a*s with a baseball bat up front and I just don’t see that from USC.”
Last season, Riley’s Trojans boasted one of the best offenses in college football, managing a 90.4 PFSN College Offense Impact score, the third-best in the Big Ten, just behind the Ohio State Buckeyes and all-conquering Indiana Hoosiers.
On the other hand, USC only scored a 76.3 PFSN College Defense Impact score, good for No. 11 in the Big Ten, to showcase where most of the team’s issues lie. In response, Riley hired seasoned coach Gary Patterson to be the program’s new defensive coordinator, succeeding D’Anton Lynn, who took the same job with the Penn State Nittany Lions.
The biggest selling point for Riley’s Trojans is the return of talented quarterback Jayden Maiava after a breakout season under center for USC last year. He managed 3,711 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, while adding 157 rushing yards and 6 scores to earn a PFSN College QB Impact score of 93.1.
Riley is one of the coaches under intense scrutiny as he enters Year 5 with the Trojans. He has led them to a 35-18 record, which includes only one double-digit winning season, putting him under pressure to finally deliver on the expectations he heightened after joining from Oklahoma.
