Lincoln Riley claims USC was 'snaps away' from the playoff, says he's a better coach now than when at Oklahoma

Lincoln Riley joins Colin Cowherd to discuss USC’s schedule and their number one recruiting class, and the development of QB Jayden Maiava.

Lincoln Riley's tenure as head coach of the USC Trojans hasn't been smooth sailing.

When he took over ahead of the 2022 season, expectations were high that a coach with his track record would bring the Trojans back to their heyday. While with the Oklahoma Sooners, he went 55-10 and 33-7 in conference, coached in four New Year's Six games, and won 12 games three consecutive seasons.

In 2022, SC was a Caleb Williams injury away from potentially reaching the playoff with a win in the Pac-12 Championship Game, but ever since, the Trojans have never threatened to get into the expanded field. Fast forward to 2026, and it's a pivotal season for Riley.

The USC athletic department is finally aligned under general manager Chad Bowden, and their NIL program has helped bring in the country's No. 1 recruiting class. But their schedule is extremely tough, and patience is wearing thin.

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Riley though, has never been more confident.

Head coach Lincoln Riley of the USC Trojans watches from the sidelines before a game against the UCLA Bruins at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif., on Nov. 29, 2025. (Harry How/Getty Images)

"It's May, right? But looking at it in May, there's definitely a real difference. It's tangible. It's not just hope," Riley said at the recent Big Ten meetings, per CBS Sports. "The program has taken steps, not only in talent acquisition and building the roster, but there's also teaching them to win, and the progression that comes with that. I know—  I've seen — the real steps