LOS ANGELES -- USC Trojans' drama of the future is colliding with the immediate present. Under head coach Lincoln Riley, the No. 17-ranked Trojans (8-3, 6-2 Conf) are in the 95th edition of the "preeminent Southern California showdown" against their arch-rival UCLA Bruins, who will be playing on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. PT. Last weekend, USC suffered a 42-27 loss to the Oregon Ducks.
Why so much pressure? Because Riley has a 34-17 record through 51 games, which is equal to predecessor Clay Helton's. That’s why there’s a discussion within the fanbase about whether they are "getting what we deserve." USC’s 2026 recruiting class currently sits at number one nationally, and this could be their first number one finish in 247 Sports history since 2006, according to Andrew Ivins, Director of Scouting for 247Sports.
“Look, USC got very portal dependent,” Ivins said. “Chad Bowden comes in, and he hits a reset… this class is 35 and approaching 40 in terms of the number of commitments, but it feels to me like a foundational group.”
General Manager Chad Bowden’s strategy is shifting away from portal dependency toward focusing on high school talent. This class has 35 commitments. Fruitful talent is being retained in California, including 19 blue-chippers and 19 players from the state of California, according to CBS Sports’ Blair Angulo.
Among future cornerstone players is 5-star offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe (IMG Academy), who is expected to be a day-one starter. Offensive firepower is solid with Makai Lemon (Biletnikoff Award Finalist, projected first-round selection in the NFL draft) and Jayden Maiava.
Regarding incoming weapons like tight end Mark Bowman, Angulo said on Wednesday’s episode of CBS Sports College Football:
“I think he's ready because he's been doing it ever since he was a freshman in high school. This is a player who's very productive, an incredible route runner, really fluid. I think a lot of people have started to maybe see some Brock Bowers in him with the way he’s able to kind of slice and dice his way through coverages,” Angulo said.
Meanwhile, 4-star offensive lineman Breck Kolojay is being seen as an unsung hero, recently earning his fourth-star status.
USC will need to be "bigger and stronger on the defensive line" to stop power running teams. Also, controlling penalties (such as 103 penalty yards against Oregon) is a critical but achievable task.
The Trojans are entering the Big Ten’s gauntlet schedule next year (2026). They will host Ohio State, Oregon, and Washington at home, and travel on the road to Penn State and Wisconsin. Next year, a $200 million football performance center is opening, per NBC Sports. USC needs long-term stability to survive this schedule and achieve national championship-winning goals. The pressure is high, and securing the future requires a fight in the present.