By admin 
The beginning of the 2026 football season is rapidly approaching, and expectations for this year’s USC Trojans team feel very different than in years prior. However, it’s not just a “feeling.” There is evidence surrounding this energy shift that appears to be happening within the Trojans locker room.
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Last season, USC entered the season unranked in the AP Poll. This year, the Trojans will begin the season ranked No. 14 in the country, which signals a different level of expectation as Lincoln Riley enters his fifth season in Los Angeles.
There is pressure surrounding Riley as he enters his fifth season at the helm, and he has actively turned that pressure into action throughout the offseason. Taking the steps to retain key players, bring in needed pieces through the portal and address the Trojans’ defense are many of the reasons why this optimistic “feeling” surrounding the Trojans isn’t just a feeling. Rather, it’s rooted in substance.
“I do believe we’re more equipped than at any point in the previous few years,” Riley said during Big Ten Media Days. “That’s not a hope or a wish. Those are facts, and there’s a lot of facts to back that up.”
Those facts are what make this year’s USC team feel different, with the pressure surrounding Riley, the experience returning to the roster and the changes made to the defense all playing a role in creating a different outlook heading into 2026.
Three Factors Making USC Feel Different in 2026
Lincoln Riley Faces More Pressure
There is no denying that the pressure surrounding Riley is higher than it has been in previous years as he enters his fifth season at the helm of the Trojans.
Riley came to USC after making three College Football Playoff appearances during his four seasons at Oklahoma, along with winning four Big 12 titles and producing three Heisman Trophy winners. He never lost more than two games in a season during his time in Norman.
That has not been the case at USC. Riley enters the 2026 season with a 35-18 record at USC, and the Trojans have yet to make the College Football Playoff during his tenure.
Entering Year 5 without a CFP appearance puts Riley in a different position than he has been in throughout his coaching career.
The Trojans have also continued to invest heavily into Riley’s program. USC opened the $225 million Bloom Football Performance Center, hired general manager Chad Bowden from Notre Dame and landed the No. 1 overall recruiting class. The resources are there, the talent is there and the expectations are clear.
There is less room for another season that falls short of the College Football Playoff.
That level of pressure is a reason why this season feels different, but Riley has also taken steps throughout the offseason to put himself in a better position to handle it. Pressure makes diamonds, and now Riley has to show he can rise to the level of pressure surrounding his program.
USC Trojans Enter 2026 With More Roster Continuity
Another reason this year’s USC team feels different is the amount of experience returning to the roster. The Trojans return an FBS-leading 12 starters heading into the 2026 season, which gives Riley a level of continuity that has been missing from some of his previous USC teams.
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The biggest piece of that continuity comes at quarterback with Jayden Maiava.
After taking over the starting role last season, Maiava enters 2026 as a proven starter. He started all 13 games in 2025, throwing for 3,711 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 65.8 percent of his passes. He also added six rushing touchdowns.
That experience gives USC a much different starting point offensively.
The Trojans also return all five starters along the offensive line in Elijah Paige, Tobias Raymond, Kilian O’Connor, Alani Noa and Justin Tauanuu. Overall, nine offensive starters return, meaning Riley is not entering the season with an offense that needs to be rebuilt around a new quarterback and new pieces.
The same can be said on the defensive side of the ball. USC returns six defensive starters, including Braylan Shelby, Kameryn Crawford, Jide Abasiri and Desman Stephens II. That continuity can make a significant difference early in the season.
Though it does not guarantee the Trojans will reach the College Football Playoff, it gives Riley a much more experienced roster to work with.
Gary Patterson Gives USC Trojans Defense a New Identity
The final reason this year’s USC team feels different is the change the Trojans made on the defensive side of the ball with the addition of Hall of Fame coach Gary Patterson.
USC has spent the past four seasons searching for the missing piece defensively. Riley has consistently built explosive offenses, but the Trojans have struggled to develop a defense that can match that production and give the team a chance to compete for a College Football Playoff spot.
The Trojans officially announced Patterson as their new defensive coordinator in January, just weeks before he was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026. Patterson led TCU to 11 seasons with at least 10 wins and built defenses that finished No. 1 nationally in total defense five different times.
That experience is particularly important for USC because the defense has been one of the biggest questions surrounding the program under Riley.
That does not guarantee the Trojans will suddenly have one of the best defenses in the country, but bringing in a coach with Patterson’s experience and track record gives USC another reason to believe this season can be different.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as Why This Season Feels Different for Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans .
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This story was originally published August 18, 2026 at 9:00 AM.