Lincoln Riley believes USC’s championship window is now open

Four years in, it seems safe to say that USC football under Lincoln Riley has not lived up to the expectations of when he was hired. The Trojans have yet to win a conference title or make the College Football Playoff during Riley’s tenure as the head coach in Los Angeles to date.

While USC has yet to figure things out on the field under Riley, however, the Trojans are owning the recruiting trail. After signing the top class in the country in 2026, USC appears to be putting together another loaded group in the 2027 cycle. This is in addition to landing several key pieces in the transfer portal.

So what does this mean for the future of the program? In an interview with On3 this week, Riley said that he believes USC’s championship window is now open.

“Taking this over, you knew you had to go fight like hell just to try to get this window opened,” Riley said. “And we’re at a point right now where there’s a lot to be excited about and a lot in front of us. It’s been a lot of work for a lot of people, a lot of commitment from a lot of people to get there, and it should be a lot of fun these next few years.”

On one hand, USC has made a lot of great moves behind the scenes, and the program is definitely in a much better state than it was a few years ago. On the other hand, however, USC fans have seen the Trojans get hyped up countless times before, only to constantly fail to live up to expectations, so it is totally understandable to be cautious.

Will this time be different? Riley certainly seems to think so. Only time will tell.