4-4! USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley has had a rollercoaster ride so far this season. College football is heating up and USC fans expect more for him. He is facing criticism for their poor performance this season. Meanwhile, he did something that will get more hate towards his way. Yes! This Monday he announced that media would no longer be allowed to attend their practices for the rest of the season. Wait! Why?

Will this make a big difference in their performance moving forward? If we look at Penn State’s performance, it is completely opposite of USC. 8-0! Yes, it tells a lot about their resilience throughout the season. If we take a closer look at their games, they have dominated their opponents, and one of them is USC. On the 12th of September, USC lost against Penn State; however, it was a close game, 33-30. Penn State took the game away in the final quarter. Similarly, their biggest opponents, the Iowa State Cyclones, are also looking strong this season with an 8-0 record. Now you would be wondering what Lincoln and his team are fighting for. We have the same question. Let’s see what Yahoo Sports analysts have to say about them.

Yahoo Sports recently shared a short video on their Instagram, featuring analyst Jason Fitz, who shed light on the frustration felt by fans and analysts alike regarding USC’s significant challenges in recent seasons. “Agony lies in the sea of s***, and that’s where Iowa has been for so long they can’t see their way out of it. They worked so hard to get a quarterback that they actually got suspended, just to bring Cane McNamara  and then it wasn’t very good, until it was pretty good, and all of a sudden you’re like, you know? You’re like Lowa’s scoring points. And then, unfortunately for everybody, Cade gets a concussion. Now he’s not even on the depth chart.” Jason’s statement highlights the highs and lows of USC’s season, where good moments are often followed by tough times. But did they have good times this season? 4-4 is not a good score at all. As they continue to deal with these challenges, the team’s ability to bounce back will be important for their success in the future.

Going back to Penn State vs. USC, the Trojans held a 14-point lead at halftime. Yes! You heard it right, but they still struggled to convert the game in the second half. Despite the loss, head coach Lincoln Riley believed his team was just a few plays away from a perfect 6-0 record. “We all know what we’re three plays away from right now, but we’re not that right now.” However, after losing to Penn State, they lost to Maryland the next week.

Analyst Caroline Fenton joined Jason who feels that USC has consistently fallen short of its potential. “Penn State has lived not in the agony of s***, but in the agony of always being a bridesmaid and never a bride. It’s like the little brother syndrome of we’re so close, but we always are going to lose to Ohio State and to Michigan, your most cursed college football program; you gotta go with us.” However, this Saturday, USC made a comeback against Rutgers. Let’s discuss the game and hear from Riley.

Riley stresses the need for building momentum and finishing strong

Running back, Woody Marks scored three touchdowns. Miller Moss,

USC’s key player and quarterback, displayed some impressive performance, threw two touchdown passes, ran for another, and helped USC secure a 42-20 victory.

They tried to dominate since they stepped on the field and scored all four offensive possessions in the first half. Although things were not going in their favor so far, will the tables turn now? Are they out of the playoffs? Their defense made a strong comeback on Saturday. Sports Illustrated reported Riley’s statements after their victory. He highlighted the importance of starting strong and maintaining momentum throughout the game. “We wanted to get off to a fast start, we obviously were able to do that in the game and then obviously did a good job in the second half closing the door,” HC added, “Being able to extend it (the lead), and finish the game off.”

The coming weeks do not look easy for USC; they have to face some of the strongest teams. Coming Saturday, they will face Washington. Do you expect them to maintain the momentum?