And perhaps no season better epitomizes the program and its direction than the first half of 2026 in Los Angeles.
asserted
season → epitomize → Angeles
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uncertain
page → contain → partners
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uncertain
News → sign → wager
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that → create → newsroom
SC entered the season with clear, defined expectations: make the College Football Playoff and return to national relevance after years of frustrations, missed opportunities, and disappointments.
asserted
SC → enter → frustrations
But elite teams win big games against other top teams.
asserted
teams → win → teams
Oregon was the first opportunity for SC to show they belonged at that elite level, and they did the opposite.
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they → show → opposite
The Ducks gained over 500 yards on offense, even though backup quarterback Dylan Raiola replaced Dante Moore after Moore's injury on a terrible USC tackle.
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Raiola → gain → tackle
Even though the score was 27-27 in the fourth quarter and SC's defense seemed to get a stop on a long third down, a trademark poorly timed, and frankly absurd and ridiculous, roughing the passer penalty gave the Ducks a free first down.
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penalty → seem → down
Still, one loss in the modern era isn't a death sentence and Saturday night against the Washington Huskies provided an opportunity for USC to show that the OU loss wasn't a definitive statement on the quality of the team.
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loss → provide → team
And yet, despite Washington being a clearly inferior opponent, loudly audible during the game were chants of "Fire Lincoln" from the USC student section.
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chants → fire → section
How often do you hear an announcer just come right out and say that a team's effort and execution was "awful?"
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effort → hear → ?
The Trojans came back to win 25-21, thanks in part to a strip-sack scoop and score from sophomore defense lineman Jakheem Stewart, but it was yet another example of how things under Riley are always going to be the way they are.
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they → come → Riley
Seemingly as always, USC had multiple big plays or key opportunities canceled out by terrible penalties.
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USC → have → penalties
Jayden Maiava had a terrible interception on a second quarter drive, then woefully underthrew a wide open receiver in the fourth quarter with a chance to salt away the game.
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Maiava → have → game
Again in the second, SC had a 16-yard completion wiped away by an illegal formation penalty.
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completion → have → penalty
That same drive, on 3rd and 2, Maiava hit Kayden Dixon-Wyatt for a 37-yard touchdown.
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Maiava → hit → touchdown
That too was called back for an...illegal formation penalty.
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That → call → penalty
Instead of a 17-7 lead, SC punted, and the Huskies promptly went 80 yards for a touchdown and 14-10 lead.
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Huskies → punt → touchdown
The ensuing USC drive, Maiva found Boobie Feaster for a five-yard gain on 3rd and 6, setting up an easy 4th and 1 from the UW 42.
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Maiva → ensue → UW
Instead, lineman Alani Noa was hit with a dead ball 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for pulling a UW defender off his quarter.
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Noa → hit → quarter
4th and 1 and a chance to score turned into 4th and 16 and a punt.
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4th → score → 4th
Then, in the third, Dixon-Wyatt got a 15-yard unsportsmanlike of his own for retaliating to a hit, turning 3rd and 7 into 3rd and 22.
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Wyatt → get → 3rd
And again, in the 4th, up 25-21 with 5:37 to go and the ball at the UW 45, Maiva underthrew a wide open Tanook Hines to force SC to punt.
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Maiva → go → SC
It's just the same long, long list of mistakes, and it's clear SC fans have had enough.
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fans → have → enough
And already and immediately, the hot seat rumblings have gotten louder and louder.
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rumblings → get → ?
USC's invested heavily in NIL, upgrading their facilities, and on the coaching staff around Riley.
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USC → invest → Riley
Letting the status quo continue?
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quo → let → ?
The Aporia
