Lincoln Riley’s Surprising Big Ten Change After One Year Sends Shockwaves Through College Football

When Lincoln Riley stepped into the USC head coaching role, the Trojans were Pac-12 tastemakers—not Big Ten contenders. Fast forward to Saturday’s thrashing of Georgia Southern, and here we are: two straight wins in just their sophomore Big Ten season. You gotta wonder—what subtle magic did Riley cook up between year one’s mixed bag and this shiny new kickoff? It’s not just about swapping out players or coaches; this guy reimagined travel plans and scheduling like a chess master plotting his next move. With 41 new faces pouring into the roster and jaw-dropping stats like leading the nation in yards per carry, it’s clear there’s more than a roster revamp underway. Can you really tweak your way to Big Ten greatness, or is this just the start of what’s brewing in Los Angeles? Riley’s smile says he’s thrilled with the whole squad stepping up—and honestly, isn’t that the kind of turnaround that gets your heart racing? Next stop: a road test against Purdue’s unbeaten Boilermakers. Buckle up. LEARN MORE

When Lincoln Riley took over from Clay Helton as the HC of the USC Football Program, they were in the Pac-12 Conference. On Saturday, USC beat Helton’s current team, Georgia Southern, 59-20 to make it two wins in a row to start their second season in the Big Ten.

After a mixed debut season that finished 7-6, the Trojans have made major changes to the roster and coaching staff, and the results seem to be showing. After the win, Riley confirmed that those changes were not limited to the personnel, and stretched to the team’s travel and schedule.

“Going through the Big Ten in the first year opened our eyes to a couple things that we think are going to help us this year,” he said.

The Trojans officially became part of the Big Ten in August last year after announcing the move two years prior. Their debut season also began with back-to-back wins over LSU and Utah State.

However, defensive issues and consistent struggles on the road meant they finished 4-5 in the conference. Still, they managed to win the Las Vegas Bowl against Texas A&M. Riley has since rebuilt his roster with 15 incoming and 26 transfers for the 2025 portal cycle. J’Onre Reed, DJ Wingfield, Jamaal Jarrett, DJ Harvey, and Keeshawn Silver have been the headlining recruits who have already made an impact this season.

In two games thus far, USC leads the nation in yards per carry (8.6) and is second in rushing touchdowns, with 10. Jayden Maiava, who ran 412 yards and had four scores against Georgia Southern, looks to have made a major leap this season. And while the turnaround is evident, Riley himself is happy that the entirety of his team is stepping up. 

“I mean, we’re making some big plays on all sides, which is great…we’re certainly not disappointed about the big plays,” he said per ESPN.

USC will now take on the Purdue Boilermakers, who have also started the season 2-0, on September 14.

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