Can Lincoln Riley Bring No-Loss November Back to USC?

Lincoln Riley is about to take USC through the month of November for the first time as head coach of the Trojans. It’s a month that can separate teams and create conference and national champions.

USC fans remember Pete Carroll’s No-Loss November run from 2001 through 2008. It wasn’t just a title. It was a fact.

Carroll won his first 28 November games as head coach of the Trojans. The first loss came in 2009, in the “What’s Your Deal” game against Stanford. Carroll finished his USC career with a 29-1 record in November.

In 2020, USC went 2-2 in November, posting more losses in the month than the Trojans suffered in the previous nine seasons.

Since 2001 (and not counting the 2020 Covid season), USC is 57-16 in the month of November. But the Trojans are coming off a season that featured the only time USC did not win a single game in that particular month. No surprise, in the three most forgetful seasons in recent USC history, the Trojans went 1-3 in 2010, 1-3 in 2018 and 0-3 last season. And USC is just 4-7 over the last three full November schedules.

Riley understands what turning the calendar to this month means for a program. He spoke about it during the Trojans Live radio show on Monday night.

“I think the best teams get better this time of year,” Riley said. “Because I do think a lot of teams get worse this time of year. I really do. Again, it’s human nature. It’s complacency, it’s getting tired of the same old thing, it’s bodies getting sore, it’s the monotony. I mean, it just happens. It’s everybody that hooted and hollered and rah, rah, rah before the season. And we’re gonna do this, and we’re gonna do that, blah, blah, blah. And then yeah, go talk to me Week Nine, and you don’t hear a peep.”

Riley said the first half of the season is obviously important. Teams have to be able to put themselves in a position where November games are extra meaningful. USC has the added November luxury this year of not having to leave the Los Angeles area for its final four games.

The Trojans host Cal in a 7:30 pm kickoff at the Coliseum on Saturday night. Then Colorado comes to town next Friday for a 6:30 game. USC will get one extra day to prepare for a rivalry game against UCLA at the Rose Bowl on Nov. 19. And then the Trojans finish the regular season with their other rivalry game, against Notre Dame on Nov. 26.

USC Still Playing for Plenty

USC will have to overcome its loss to Utah in the race for the Pac-12 Championship Game. Three wins over the next three weeks will likely be absolutely necessary to have a shot at playing for the conference crown.

“There’s still so much out there for us,” Riley said. “And not just in terms of what we can win, but more in terms of how much better we can get as a football team.”

Riley called it a race against time. USC players and coaches won’t ever look beyond the next opponent or even beyond what they need to accomplish that day. But there’s no doubt this USC team needs to improve in all three phases before it travels to Pasadena and takes on a strong UCLA team.

“You’ve got to truly make the most of each day because in reality, a lot of teams this time of year eliminate themselves,” Riley said. “They’ll crack, they’ll break, they’ll get tired of getting coached, they’ll get tired of doing the little things right. A majority of teams eliminate themselves and don’t even give themselves a chance…We’ve got to be very self-aware of who we are right now. The things that we’ve got to get better at and be very real about what it’s going to take and what we can’t afford to miss out on.”

Riley said it’s up to the coaches to convey what needs to happen. And then the players must follow through on it. He added that having real leaders in the locker room helps carry a team through these final games of the season.

“It’s our challenge and it’s a fun challenge,” Riley said. “It’s a great time of year to be right in the middle of it. And frankly, it’s where we expect to be. Here we are, and we’ll see what we do.”

USC in the CFP Rankings

The Trojans are ranked No. 9 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, which were released Tuesday evening. More than 50% of the teams to participate in the playoffs have been ranked in the top four of the first poll. But Riley is very familiar with making a charge from outside that top group.

In 2015, Oklahoma, with Riley as offensive coordinator, ranked No. 15 in the initial poll and made the playoff. In 2018, Oklahoma, with Riley as head coach, ranked No. 7 in the initial poll. And in 2019, the Sooners were No. 9 in the first poll and dropped to No. 10 in the second poll. Then Riley and Oklahoma charged all the way to the playoff.