USC head coach Lincoln Riley said the program is now positioned to compete for a national football championship [1].
This declaration comes as the Trojans navigate a significant transition into the Big Ten Conference. The move places the program in one of the most competitive environments in college football, where depth and physical toughness are essential for postseason success.
Riley said a combination of a strong recruiting class and the alignment of the program are primary drivers for his optimism [1]. He described the current group as the "most complete roster yet" [2]. This development follows a strategic effort to balance the team's offensive prowess with a more robust defensive identity under Gary Patterson [3].
Central to this strategy is the development of the trenches. Riley said USC will have "championship depth" on both the offensive and defensive lines in 2026 [4]. This specific focus on line depth is intended to ensure the team can withstand the grueling schedule of the Big Ten without a drop in performance.
Now in his fifth season as head coach [5], Riley has focused on building a sustainable foundation. He said "the time is now" for the Trojans to translate that foundation into a title run [1]. The coach said the current roster is the culmination of several years of targeted recruiting and structural changes within the organization [2].
By emphasizing the quality of the recruiting classes and the overall roster depth, Riley is signaling a shift from a rebuilding phase to a championship-contending phase. The program's ability to execute this vision will depend on whether the projected depth on the lines holds up against the physical demands of their new conference opponents [4].
“"the time is now"”
Riley's confidence marks a pivot for USC as it seeks to validate its move to the Big Ten. By specifically highlighting line depth and a new defensive identity, the program is acknowledging that the high-scoring offenses of the past are insufficient in a conference known for physical, defensive battles. The success of this transition depends on whether the 2026 roster depth projections materialize into on-field wins.
