No. 14 USC has everything in place for Lincoln Riley to chase Trojans' first CFP berth

No. 14 Southern California

LOS ANGELES (AP) — 2025 record: 9-4

Expectations

The Trojans have elite talent, depth and experience all across their roster. They've got a coaching staff with a long history of winning at other schools, and they just opened a lavish $225 million training complex on campus.

Lincoln Riley seems to have everything in place to get No. 14 USC to its first College Football Playoff — and everybody wearing cardinal and gold thinks it's high time for the Trojans to take that final step after shoveling money into this program throughout the head coach's half-decade in charge.

USC kept one of the nation's biggest groups of returning starters while adding several high-profile transfers and a strong high school recruiting class. The Trojans also opened the Bloom Football Performance Center, a showcase home worthy of this program's pedigree.

Strengths include Maiava under center

Jayden Maiava skipped the NFL draft and returned as USC's starting quarterback after seizing the job in mid-2024. The Hawaii native led the Big Ten with 285.5 yards passing per game last season in the conference's most prolific offense.

Maiava has at least four starters back on his offensive line, which will block for a potentially dynamite rushing tandem of Waymond Jordan and King Miller.

But Maiava lost his top two targets when receivers Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane went to the NFL. The Trojans will try to replace them with rising returnee Tanook Hines, promising transfer Terrell Anderson and Maiava's own acumen.

Weakenesses include addressing the defense

The Trojans couldn't beat the top teams on their schedule last season because their defense failed its biggest tests, giving up 42 points to Oregon and 34 apiece to Notre Dame and Illinois. Coordinator D'Anton Lynn built a competent unit, unlike his predecessor, but it flopped under the brightest lights.

After Lynn went home to Penn State, Riley replaced him with Gary Patterson, the College Football Hall of Famer and longtime TCU head coach. Patterson is one of the most respected defensive minds of his era, but he hasn't really been anybody's assistant since 2000.

The 66-year-old Patterson seems comfortable in his new role, and he has plenty of material to mold, including a massive line headed by pass rushers Kameryn Crawford and Braylan Shelby. USC's back seven also should be reloaded — but just like Riley's offense, Patterson's defense has to prove it can beat the best.

New faces

Gary Patterson (defensive coordinator), WR Terrell Anderson (transfer from NC State), DL Alex VanSumeren (transfer from Michigan State), LB Deven Bryant (transfer from Washington), WR Boobie Feaster (high school).

Key losses

WR Makai Lemon (NFL), WR Ja'Kobi Lane (NFL), S Bishop Fitzgerald (NFL), S Kamari Ramsey (NFL), DT Devan Thompkins (transfer to Alabama), defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn (Penn State).

Biggest games

vs. Oregon (Sept. 26), vs. Ohio State (Oct. 31), at Indiana (Nov. 14).

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