What's the defintion of insanity? Well, it's Southern California.
Because the Trojans keep doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results.
In a result that has become an annual tradition, No. 14 USC lost another ranked game in November that has spoiled its hopes of the College Football Playoff
. The 2026 edition of coach Lincoln Riley's tenure featured another mistake-riddled affair, blowing it against Indiana in a 27-13 loss.Riley is now just 6-15 in ranked games with the Trojans, including 1-9 on the road with the lone victory coming in his first season in 2022.
Feeling insane yet?
No matter how much talent he acquires or how the table is set perfectly for him, Riley continuously falls short in the games he not only is expected
to win, but has to.
No one cares he is 36-6 when facing unranked teams. When you're at USC, you're supposed to win the big games, and when you don't, that's when it's time for the bags to start being packed.
USC was facing an Indiana team that hasn't been able to move the ball for over a month, and let backup quarterback Grant Wilson − making his first start since he was at Old Dominion in 2024 − throw for 305 yards and two touchdowns, opening up a battle at quarterback for the Hoosiers. It was the most points Indiana had scored since early October.
Indiana has one of the best defenses in the country, but the loaded Trojans offense was meant to break it down just like how it did against Ohio State. Instead, USC was limited to just 13 points, and with Jayden Maiava throwing a season-high three interceptions, including in the red zone as the Trojans were on the cusp of tying the game late in the fourth quarter.
USC also had both of its kickers miss a field goal.
Once again, Riley's team completely implodes when the light at brightest. USC earned some credit back when it beat Ohio State on Halloween night, but that wasn't the end of it. Riley had to finally prove he could win those battles on the road, and instead he lost his eighth in a row.
What may drive you even crazier is how after each defeat, Riley insists his team was "this close" to winning, forgetting being close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
However, a hand grenade just went off on USC's season. While not mathematically out of it just yet, 7-3 USC can kiss its CFP hopes goodbye just like its done every season under its coach, still yet to make the field since the playoff's inception in 2014. After consistently falling short, maybe that's why Riley was vocal about his desire to expand it to 24-teams, that way he can finally feel a sense of validation when he's able to win eight or nine games in a season.
Oh, and that team across town is one win away from getting there before it does.
Riley and USC have been headed toward a breakup for awhile now, but he was given one more chance to try and patch up the relationship in a must win opportunity. But like most toxic relationships, he once again let his partner down.
USC has gone insane. It's time to end the madness.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lincoln Riley drives USC insane with another loss. It's time to pull plug | Opinion
