USC’s latest road loss made the criticism louder. After the Trojans fell 24-7 at Wisconsin and slipped to 6-2, Colin Cowherd said Lincoln Riley’s biggest problem is not the overall record but the way USC plays away from home.
On Monday’s edition of The Herd, Cowherd framed Riley’s issue in blunt terms. He said, “His primary issue. It’s not complicated. Soft doesn’t travel at home. They’ve been pretty damn good, but on the road, soft doesn’t travel. And Wisconsin was another example.” That cut to the heart of why Riley is being searched for today: USC is in his fifth season, he has a 40-20 record there, and the conversation is no longer about upside. It is about whether the Trojans can win the games that shape a season.
The numbers give Cowherd’s criticism weight. Last season, USC finished 2-3 on the road and lost at Illinois, Notre Dame and Oregon. This season, the Trojans did beat Penn State 31-24 away from home, which is the one result that keeps the discussion from turning into a full collapse. But the Wisconsin game showed the other side of the ledger. USC managed only one passing touchdown, turned it over twice, allowed five sacks and finished at minus-57 rushing yards. That is not just a bad night. It is the kind of performance that makes every future road trip feel heavier.
That is what makes the next stretch matter. USC still has road games at Indiana and UCLA, and those trips now carry more weight than a normal late-season schedule. The Trojans had a strong offseason and brought in a No. 1 recruiting class, which helped ease job-security questions around Riley before the year started. They also returned Jayden Maiava, the entire starting offensive line, and Waymond Jordan and King Miller. But those pieces do not erase the fact that the road remains the place where USC keeps getting judged, and the next two away games will decide whether this season becomes a one-off setback or another round of questions about Riley’s fit at USC.
