For a top-25 team with College Football Playoff aspirations, a loss to an unranked opponent can either derail a season or be the wake-up call a program needs . For the USC Trojans, Saturday's road loss to the Wisconsin Badgers raises questions about which direction their season is headed.
Entering the matchup at Camp Randall Stadium, the then-No. 16 Trojans still had a massive opportunity to build momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season. However, that was not the case as the Trojans suffered an upset to the Wisconsin Badgers, which dropped them out of the top 25 ahead of facing three of the toughest opponents in the Big Ten Conference.
USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) gives the ball to running back King Miller (8) during the game against Wisconsin, Oct. 24, 2026, at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The Trojans have little room for error, yet they still have opportunities as they approach a stretch that will likely define their season and potentially shape the future of coach Lincoln Riley in Los Angeles.
While USC's playoff hopes are not necessarily over, the caliber of the Trojans' losses makes the path more difficult. However, with three ranked opponents left on the schedule, the Trojans have a significant opportunity to salvage their season.
From the Trojans' inability to capitalize on opportunities to the questions surrounding Riley and the team's postseason ceiling, the loss sparked plenty of discussion. But how much should USC fans actually be worried? Here are the biggest concerns coming out of the Wisconsin loss, separating what's a legitimate problem from what's an overreaction.
The narrative surrounding USC entering the 2026 season was College Football Playoff or bust. Riley entered the year among the coaches facing the hottest seats in college football, per USA Today, with mounting pressure to lead the Trojans to the playoff in his fifth season at the helm, and it appeared he had all the pieces to do so.
Oct 3, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley looks on against the Washington Huskies during the third quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Griffin Hooper-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
USC returned an FBS-leading 15 starters, including quarterback Jayden Maiava, and brought in the nation's No. 1 freshman class.
Despite those advantages, Riley's team has dropped out of the top 25 following two early losses. Saturday's 17-point defeat was also the largest loss by a ranked team coached by Riley against an unranked opponent, while USC's seven points were the fewest scored by a Riley-coached team in his head-coaching career.
Following the loss, criticism of Riley's future in Los Angeles intensified. Fox News' OutKick published an article titled "After yet another inexcusable loss to Wisconsin, the Lincoln Riley era at USC looks to be nearing an end," while USA Today's Jordan Mendoza published "Lincoln Riley has reached the end of his USC leash. Now comes the reckoning."
The Athletic also questioned USC's playoff credentials following the defeat, and social media was flooded with calls for the Trojans to move on from their fifth-year coach.
Oct 10, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans former player Keyshawn Johnson leads players onto the field before the game against the Arizona Wildcats at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. USC defeated Arizona 38-31. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Former USC receiver Keyshawn Johnson added to the criticism, saying, "Tough decisions have got to be made USC."
As dramatic as this may or may not seem, to say there isn't validity to these narratives would be arbitrary.
For starters, this is not an isolated setback in an otherwise successful tenure. Riley arrived at USC with a reputation as one of the best offensive minds in college football after leading Oklahoma to three College Football Playoff appearances. The Trojans hired him to compete for national championships and restore USC to the blue-blood program it once was. Yet, through his fifth season, USC has still not reached the College Football Playoff.
However, there is a significant financial factor that complicates the conversation surrounding Riley's future. His reported buyout is estimated at approximately $70 million, according to CBS Sports, although the exact terms of his contract are not publicly available.
Aug 29, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley head coach Lincoln Riley Lincoln Riley Riley enters the field before the game against the San Jos State Spartans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
That figure would make a coaching change an expensive decision, especially when USC would also need to consider the cost of replacing Riley.
With USC now 6-2 and facing one of the most challenging stretches of its schedule, the pressure on Riley is real, and the coming weeks could go a long way toward determining whether the university continues to stand behind him.
Beyond the questions surrounding Riley's job security, another narrative gaining traction on social media is that USC's season is already over.
Considering the Trojans' recent performances, it is easy to understand why that narrative is gaining momentum. USC has now lost to Wisconsin and Oregon, with the Ducks' own struggles making the Trojans' earlier loss to Oregon look increasingly concerning. With USC dropping out of the top 25 and its playoff resume lacking the quality wins needed to separate itself from other contenders, the path to the postseason is becoming increasingly difficult to envision.
However, writing off USC's season entirely is premature. The Trojans have four regular-season games remaining, including top-10 matchups against No. 2 Ohio State, No. 4 Indiana and No. 7 UCLA. These matchups give them opportunities to completely change the conversation surrounding their season.
Winning multiple games against that level of competition could completely reshape their College Football Playoff outlook.
Oct 10, 2026; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws a pass during a warmup prior to the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Those results would also change the conversation surrounding Riley. After a loss like Wisconsin, questions about his ability to lead USC to the playoff are understandable. But if the Trojans respond by defeating some of the nation's best teams, the narrative surrounding the program could look very different within a few weeks.
USC's playoff hopes are undoubtedly in a more precarious position following the Wisconsin loss, but the season is not defined by that result alone. The Trojans still have opportunities to produce the kind of wins that could salvage their season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as USC's Biggest Concerns After Wisconsin Loss: What's Real vs. What's an Overreaction .
