The USC Trojans and head coach Lincoln Riley know the pressure is on in 2026. Since he came over to Southern Cal in 2022, he has yet to make the College Football Playoff.
Their best season came in 2022, when they posted an 11-3 record, but after that, USC hasn't had the same success. Everyone inside the Trojan program knows it's a playoff-or-bust campaign, and senior quarterback Jordan Maiava is the one who could lead USC to the place they need to be.
USC's CFP hopes hinge on what Jayden Maiava gives Lincoln Riley in 2026
Maiava is going into his third season at USC, but last year was easily his best one. Across 13 starts, he led the Big Ten in passing yards (3,711) with 24 passing touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He completed 65.8 percent of throws with an impressive 14.0 yards per completion.
He wasn't afraid to push the ball downfield, which led the offense to average 35.7 points per game with 465 total yards of offense. Although USC lost Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane to the NFL draft, they still have a lot of continuity on offense. Nine starters will be back.
That isn't anything to scoff at and should help out this roster on the field. Throughout Riley's coaching career, he has had guys like Caleb Williams, Kyler Murray, and Jalen Hurts under his belt.
All those players had plenty of success playing within Riley's scheme. There's proof that Riley's system gets a lot of production from the quarterback, yet at the same time, the results haven't followed at USC.
At USC, Riley has compiled a 35-18 record. Throughout the summer, Riley has expressed that the team has enough talent to win in 2026. But words don't matter. The only thing that holds weight is what takes place on the field.
Maiava will have to lead USC through a difficult schedule
USC's schedule isn't easy, as they have to play Oregon, Penn State, Ohio State, and Indiana. Those are some big-time matchups, and if they want to secure a Playoff spot, they have to win at least three of these games. What Maiava does in these games will help determine the outcome.
Obviously, the Trojans will need him to play at a high level, and a lot of that will fall on Riley's shoulders as well. Did the game plan put him in the best positions to succeed? Did Riley have a good flow of calling plays and when to adapt?
These questions will only get answered when the games kick off. Meanwhile, Maiava will need to rise to the occasion. The College Football Playoff features 12 teams. That gives the Trojans a ton of room to get into the dance.
The reason Riley got the job at USC was to bring the program back to its glory days. That hasn't happened yet, and for that to take place in 2026, Maiava will need to be one of the best quarterbacks in the nation. He showed he has the talent to do so, and now it's time to translate it onto the field.
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