USC Trojans football legend Matt Leinart still believes in Lincoln Riley despite substandard results over the past two seasons. A No. 1 Class of 2026 recruiting class earns any head coach the support of one of the program’s Heisman Trophy winners.
Even despite the future success, Leinart is confident that the Trojans could be better than their record indicates if a few things break differently than they did last year.
“They started off strong. We had like 10 or 11 wins. I think this year, we’ve had a couple of setbacks, but I think what people forget is it does take time, and it takes time, especially with the portal and NIL. It’s just a whole different beast now, right? You’re recruiting against other teams. You’re recruiting to keep your roster intact, you, all those things,” Leinart told me at the 2025 American Century Championship.
“So I know it hasn’t been the standard, really the last couple years, and he would tell you that, but we’re recruiting our ass off right now. The No. 1 2026 class right now. We’ve gotten bigger, stronger. And, you know, if you go back the last year, there are three or four games where you lose in the last 30 seconds. You know what I mean? You switch that, and all of a sudden, you’re 10-2, and it’s a whole different ball game.
“So I think you just got to learn how to finish. I think if anything. You’ve got to learn how to finish. You’ve got to learn how to play your best in the fourth quarter. If they do that this year, the schedule kind of lines up. They’re going to be pretty good.”
As for a Big Ten Championship prediction, Leinart listed Penn State, Ohio State, Illinois, and Oregon as teams in the mix.
“I think Penn State might be the favorite. Ohio State’s loaded again. Julian Sayin is probably going to be their quarterback. So they have some big shoes to fill, but they still got studs, man. And Penn State’s loaded. They got the whole team back that was in a playoff last year,” Leinart said.
“They’re loaded. I think they’re going to be the favorite now, but kind of the same with USC: Can they beat the Ohio States? Can they play their best when it matters the most?
“And then a couple of sneaky teams like Illinois are going to be sneaky good. Oregon, now in the Big Ten, is always going to be good. The Big Ten is one of the best conferences in college football, so it’s going to be a fun race.”
About the 2025 American Century Championship
The American Century Championship will air from Friday to Sunday on NBC, Peacock, and the GOLF Channel. Over 90 athletes and celebrities are in the annual mid-July golf tournament at Edgewood Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada.