USC football coach Lincoln Riley faces a lot of expectations in 2025, from the Trojans fan base. USC football has struggled somewhat during Riley’s tenure, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The head coach is teasing that he is making some changes in his program.
One of those changes was evident, ahead of the 2025 team’s first game. All of the USC football players wore matching black tracksuits to enter the football stadium. Riley says that is one of several new wrinkles in his program.
“There’s been a lot of changes in our program, particularly in the last couple of months,” Riley said, per USA Today. “We don’t really do anything unless it’s all together. We don’t wear hats, and the staff doesn’t even wear hats, and everybody’s kind of calling each other out for it. It’s pretty cool.”
The squad put together an outstanding offense performance in their first game of the 2025 season. USC blew out Missouri State, 73-13. Riley was left impressed by the passion and the fire he saw from his group of guys.
“It’s a united group. They want it. They want it to be that way, which I asked the guys, because in the past, we’ve done it a little bit more NFL style and let the guys wear some different things,” Riley added. “I asked our guys and gave them a choice, and this is what they wanted, and seeing this team unfold the last few months, I wasn’t surprised that’s what they wanted.”
USC football scored the most points the program has seen since 1930, per the school. The Trojans scored 74 in a 1930 game against California.
Lincoln Riley has his sights set on the College Football Playoff
Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
Riley came to southern California after a successful run at Oklahoma. This is his fourth season at the school. He was able to take the Trojans to the Cotton Bowl in his first season, but the team lost to Tulane in that game. His goal this year is to help USC reach the expanded College Football Playoff.
In 2024, the Trojans played for the first time as a member of the Big Ten conference. It was a disappointing campaign. USC football finished the campaign with just seven wins, including a Las Vegas Bowl win.
USC fans hope for more success in 2025. The Trojans have a packed conference schedule, including meetings with Michigan and Oregon. The Trojans also face Notre Dame, in what should be yet another exciting chapter for that historic rivalry.
USC football next plays Georgia Southern on Saturday. It will be the first meeting all-time between the schools.