Lincoln Riley addresses the pressure he faces as USC enters Big Ten

USC joined the Big Ten earlier this month alongside former Pac-12 Conference cohorts UCLA, Oregon and Washington.

All four programs are approaching their venture into their new conference their own way, and in the case of the Trojans, they claim to not be feeling any pressure to compete in year one in Big Ten team in 2024. USC head coach Lincoln Riley exlained how the Trojans have decided to shift their mindset this offseason.

“I got asked this at OU, I get asked this at SC, but it’s not about the pressure,” Riley explained. “It’s about the opportunity and the opportunities that we’ve had have been great. I think in some ways, the opportunities will even be better in this conference because of the matchups that are going to happen and obviously with the expanded playoff and all of that. I think it’s gonna be a great thing.”

Riley has exceeded expectations in the past. At Oklahoma, he pieced together three-straight 12-win seasons to begin his head coaching career at age 33 and coached two quarterbacks to Heisman Trophy honors in Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray during his relatively short tenure.

At USC, he turned a floundering team that had missed out on a bowl game in three of its past four seasons into a 10-win team overnight. Thanks to another Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, Caleb Williams, Riley’s success continued with him at USC.

Despite an eight-win season a year ago, high expecations remain in place as the Trojans adjust to life in the Big Ten.

“When I got hired at OU, everybody thought it was crazy and the program was going to tank,” he continued. “So listen, I mean, I don’t get high and low with all of that. I know the outside world does and I know a lot of people like to sensationalize things, but one, it’s not accurate. And two, it’s not reality. I don’t really care. … At the end of the season, nobody’s gonna give him a damn about where you were pick. You’re going to go play and it’s gonna be what it is.”

Before Riley and USC can worry about their first season in the Big Ten, a massive Week 1 matchup against LSU on Sept. 1 looms. The Trojans are 6.5-point underdogs just over six weeks out from opening kickoff.

However, they won’t waste any time once conference play picks up as USC meets Michigan in Ann Arbor for Week 3.