Lincoln Riley still has seven years left in his 10-year, $110 million contract. But considering how the last two seasons went down in L.A., pressure is mounting on the Trojans’ head coach to deliver. Many are eager to see if the 41-year-old can turn things around and show a glimpse of his iconic run in Oklahoma. But as the tough schedule looms large, the big question remains the same: Is this the year Riley will finally change USC’s fortune?

The Trojans are set to kick off their 2025 campaign on August 30 against Missouri State. Per Antonio Morales of The Athletic, “there is no reason the Trojans should not start 4-0 this season.” Another major advantage the Trojans have this season is that three of their first four games are at home, with a gap of at least a week. But as we move deep into the regular season, the schedule becomes tougher for Riley’s Trojans.

USC does get a much-needed two-week breather before facing the Michigan Wolverines, but they have only a week to prepare themselves for an on-road game against Notre Dame on October 18. Not to mention that the Trojans have an ugly road record [1-4 in 2024] with Riley at the helm. So, when a Fox analyst was discussing the Trojans’ fate this season, he did not shy away from warning Riley about what is coming ahead this season.

Aug. 30	Missouri State	Home
Sept. 6	Georgia Southern	Home
Sept. 13	Purdue	Road
Sept. 20	Michigan State	Home
Sept. 27	Illinois	Road
Oct. 11	Michigan	Home
Oct. 18	Notre Dame	Road
Nov. 1	Nebraska	Road
Nov. 8	Northwestern	Home
Nov. 15	Iowa	Home

RJ Young of Fox Sports didn’t sugarcoat it when he hopped on his “No. 1 College Football Podcast” on June 1st. “What are we looking for from Lincoln Riley going into this season? Take a look at the schedule,” he said, before laying out what he called an honor-mode run. “I expect them to be no worse than 4-0 when they get to their first ranked opponent… Purdue was worse than Florida State last year. Give that some thought,” RJ quipped. Michigan State shouldn’t be a problem either, but things heat up quickly with a potential top-10 Illinois team.

“But then you run a gauntlet.”

After cruising past Michigan State and maybe Illinois, the B1G buzzsaw begins: Michigan, Notre Dame, Nebraska, Northwestern, Iowa, and  Oregon. RJ wasn’t pulling punches: “I think that when we look at SC, we’re gonna ask the question: What are they gonna be like in 2027? What are they gonna be like in 2028? To which you might ask the question—is Lincoln Riley still gonna be around for this?.. if they go 5-7 this year, say they don’t make a bowl game—he’s on a hot seat. I don’t know that he’d get fired for that, but we’d have the conversation.”

And he’s not wrong. For $110M, bowl eligibility is the bare minimum. Anything less than 8-9 wins, and USC fans will start eyeing the eject button.

Lincoln Riley’s very own Brock Bowers

Out in SoCal, there’s another headline bubbling up—one that’s got USC fans thinking beyond just 2025. Enter Mark Bowman.

The tight end from Mater Dei just gave the Trojans his verbal, and the buzz is LOUD. Not just because he’s the No. 1 TE in the 2026 class. Not just because he’s another blue-chip jewel in USC’s already No. 1-ranked recruiting haul. Nah, it’s because folks are dropping a serious name when talking about him: Brock Bowers. Aka, the best pound-for-pound tight end in the NFL.

247Sports’ Greg Biggins is not afraid of the hype. “Bowman has been drawing Brock Bowers comparisons since his freshman year, and there is a lot of validity to it,” he wrote. That’s not light praise. Raiders TE Bowers was a three-time All-American and the engine of Georgia’s offense. Now Bowman, who originally was a 2027 prospect before reclassifying, is being thrown in that convo at 16 years old. And not without reason.

“He’s a plus athlete who plays more like a jumbo receiver than a tight end,” Biggins continued. “He runs clean routes and gets a ton of separation.” That alone is rare for tight ends at this stage. But what sets Bowman apart is the whole tool kit. The man’s got quick twitch, body control, elite change-of-direction—stuff that usually doesn’t show up on high school film.

And if you’re wondering if the catch radius is for real, Biggins said it best: “He can dominate in 50-50 and jump-ball situations and has high-level body control and hand-eye coordination.” Translation? Just toss it up—he’ll go get it. USC hasn’t had a real tight end mismatch since the days of Fred Davis. Bowman could be that. He’s got the pedigree (Mater Dei’s factory line stays elite) and the skill set. And in Riley’s offense? This could be the missing piece.

USC’s 2026 class is already top of the charts, and Bowman is the cherry on top. He’s also their first TE commit in this cycle, which means Riley and his staff went all-in on this one. No Plan B. No hedge. They wanted Bowman—and they got him.

So while all eyes are on the upcoming gauntlet of a schedule and whether the Trojans can bounce back, there’s a quiet sense that the future might be brighter than ever. But for that future to matter, the present can’t collapse. The Big Ten isn’t forgiving, and the L.A. spotlight never turns off. It’s now or never, and USC’s $110M man better prove he’s worth every cent.