It's not Bell Week anymore. But some idiot here didn't get around to running last week's content last week and also didn't get around to writing this week's content just yet. So let's go back Californi-way for a few more articles!
Well, USC definitely had a USC-like season, at least since joining the Bee One Gee. Wins at home and at bad teams; losses away against ranked teams (including my beloved Illini). All in all, a pretty good season on a fairly easy schedule. But it's yet another year outside of the CFP hunt for Lincoln Riley and the clock continues to tick. Let's dive into why the hot seat remains heated.
What were the expectations?
Transient Buckeye: I confess to not having thought a lot about how USC's 2025 season was going to go. Based solely on the stereotype of USC being a Lincoln Riley team, I think the general expectations were that they would score a lot of points, give up a lot of points, and post a solid record that still managed to feel just a little bit disappointing. When you're retroactively reconstructing what your expectations were for events that happened almost a year ago, you can wind up looking like a genius.
AlmaOtter: Hey, let's retroactively reconstruct what my expectations for events that happened a year ago! It's not like I had some preternatural feeling for this team that I barely know, but I guess I figured that they would probably do what they did? The only surprise to me was beating Michigan and losing to Illinois, but six of one and half dozen of another. They are who we mostly thought they were.
So, how'd it go?
Transient Buckeye: They scored a lot of points, gave up a lot of points, and put together a season that was solid but nevertheless felt a little disappointing. They got home wins over ranked Michigan and Iowa teams, the former coming in fairly dominating fashion. But they lost their other three matchups with ranked teams, allowing Illinois to mount a two-minute drive culminating in a game-winning field goal, and being handled by Notre Dame and Oregon. They also were the beneficiaries of some lucky breaks. Iowa was dominating them on their own field before Kirk Ferentz turtled hard in the the second half, and the Trojans were trailing Nebraska in Lincoln until Dylan Raiola went down with a broken leg and the Cornhuskers' offense went into reverse. They capped their season with a loss to TCU in San Antonio (in a game that frequent commenter wankerman suggested should've been called the Blue Chew Bowl, as it featured an encounter between Trojans and Horny Frogs).
AlmaOtter: "wankerman suggested should've been called the Blue Chew Bowl, as it featured an encounter between Trojans and Horny Frogs)" is a sentence that could only exist on this blogspot. What a damn delight.
What were the highlights?
Transient Buckeye: Handling Michigan in the Coliseum was probably USC's most complete performance in 2025. While they took losses to Notre Dame and Oregon, both on the road, they hung around in both--neither game was a nailbiter, but neither one was a blowout, either. They handled their crosstown rivals UCLA in the season finale, although beating last season's UCLA Bruin team was definitely a tutorial-level achievement.
AlmaOtter: I enjoyed them coming to Memorial Stadium and losing! That was a highlight for me. And them whooping Michigan! Otherwise? I have no memories of this team.
And the lowlights?
Transient Buckeye: If there's a knock on 2025 USC, it's that it never felt like they were playing to their full potential even in their wins. Purdue and MSU were both putrid last season. Yes, USC beat both of them comfortably, but allowing those two teams to post a combined 48 points wasn't a good look. As noted, they scuffled mightily in wins over Nebraska and Iowa. But the Illinois game was the worst. USC face-planted for much of the contest, and the Illini looked to be in control. Then USC rallied, taking the lead with just a couple of minutes left on the clock. They then allowed a workmanlike two-minute drive that saw Illinois kick the game-winning field goal at the final gun. If USC had won that game, they'd have likely been 10-2 and firmly in the conversation for an at-large playoff bid. They probably would've been on the outside looking in even in that situation, since one of their losses was to Notre Dame (who also didn't get in). But it feels like an opportunity that they let slip away, nevertheless.
AlmaOtter: USC under Lincoln Riley has been pretty straightforward: they're a sleeping giant, a recruiting monster, and they continually fail to hit the mark. 8-4/9-5, bowl loss: wash, rinse, repeat.
Any memorable and or absurd moments?
Transient Buckeye: You could go with USC's self-immolation for much of the Illinois game, which gave the Illini the cushion they needed to withstand USC's comeback attempt. But I didn't watch a lot of USC last season, so apart from that one game, nothing comes to mind.
AlmaOtter: I do recall the final stretch of the Michigan game being excessively silly, but I also am matrimonially required to laugh at any time the Wolverines do dumb stuff.
