What Does USC’s 2025 Season Opener Against Missouri State Mean for Lincoln Riley & Co.?

As USC moves towards its first full season in the Big 10, head coach Lincoln Riley is receiving praise all across the nation. With a roster flush with high talent and expectations reaching the sky, the Trojans’ 2025 opener against Missouri State is expected to be the building block of the season. Riley once said, “Every game is a test of our resolve and preparation,” and USC’s game against Missouri will be the first move to prove their worth.

USC has announced it will open its 2025 football season against the Missouri State on August 30, 2025. An ESPN host, Adam Rittenberg, shared the news from his ‘X’ handle. “USC announces it will open the 2025 season against Missouri State, currently an FCS program that will join Conference USA next fall. This allows USC to maintain its status as the only FBS team never to have faced an FCS opponent. Will be the team’s first-ever meeting.” This game holds high importance because it’s going to be the first-ever meeting between these teams.

As part of the FCS program, Missouri will shift to FBS and join Conference USA next year. This game remarks on USC’s unique status as the only FBS team without facing an FCS opponent. As the Bears transition to Conference USA, their scheduled game against USC offers them an opportunity to mark their name against a top-tier opponent. with a $1.15 million guarantee for this upcoming game, Missouri State is preparing to be successful in its upcoming endeavors.

Apart from that, for Lincoln Riley and USC, this game is not just any other game because Riley is under high pressure as he enters his fourth season, especially as USC adjusts to the Big Ten. The non-conference game against Missouri serves as the team’s depth and strength. On top of that, let’s look at USC’s past game performances.

Lincoln Riley & USC Trojans in the season so far

USC Trojans had a strong season until they met the Michigan Wolverines. That 24-27 loss against Sherrone Moore’s boys derailed the early momentum the Trojans had gained through some impressive victories in their first two games. In their last two games, Lincoln Riley’s offense has come under some serious pressure, with QB Miller Moss struggling to make plays amid his O-line’s failure to defend him.

While the scorecard (38-21) against the Wisconsin Badgers may show that it was a one-sided affair, that is far from the truth. At halftime, the home side was trailing by 10-21, and it was only in the second half that the Trojans got a strong footing in the game. Miller Moss, after some iffy plays in the first half, looked like his true self and led the offense. However, the real story was the defense, which just shut out the Badgers’ offense in the second half.

The new defensive coordinator, D’Anton Lynn, has succeeded in establishing his imprint on the team, and that has been shown so far. The only worry for Lynn, at times, is the team’s failure to stop the run game. That happened against the Wolverines. While they didn’t let Michigan have any room to have any passing game, the run game was a different story altogether and maybe the reason why the Trojans lost the game. They are set to go against Minnesota in Week 6, who are coming off a close loss against the Wolverines in Week 5. The score? 24-27. Maybe both the teams can gather before the game and share their trauma of losing to the Wolverines by the same scoreline in back-to-back weeks.