Fans Demand Justice for Lincoln Riley as USC Falls Victim to Harsh AP Poll Reality

The debut of the Coaches Poll Top 25 for Week 1 generated a lot of buzz nationwide, but the USC Trojans did not find a spot among the listed teams. Despite beginning the season with a commanding 73-13 win over Missouri State, national respect is still something that will take time to build. Troy is next scheduled to play against Georgia Southern, which may not be enough to gain support. So they will need to prove themselves in later games. For Lincoln Riley, that’s a bitter pill — a Saturday night offensive explosion turned into a Monday morning dose of reality.

Quarterback Jayden Maiava led the charge against the Missouri State Bears, as USC’s offense racked up just under 600 yards of total production. The defense, much maligned last season, also showed real bite, eager to shed its old reputation. And yet, USC insider Chris Trevino informs that, “USC did not crack the updated USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll. It actually received less votes compared to the preseason poll and moved from No. 29 to No. 31.” For Trojan fans, the drop felt like an insult stacked on injury. The team executed, dominated, and played the role of bully against an overmatched opponent. But when the ballots came in, the reaction was closer to a shrug than applause.

The path forward is obvious: Missouri State and Georgia Southern aren’t resume-builders, and neither will Purdue in Week 3. The Trojans could be 4-0 before their first true test in Week 5 against No. 11 Illinois. The bigger games — Illinois, Notre Dame, Oregon, and Michigan — will decide their narrative. Lincoln Riley knows beating up on unranked opponents won’t bend the polls in his favor. What USC must prove is that the fireworks they displayed in Week 1 will translate when the lights get brighter and the opponents get nastier.

The insult is real, but so is the opportunity. Coaches and media alike view early-season rankings as more projection than reward, and USC is carrying the weight of skepticism built from last year’s defensive lapses and late-season collapses. That’s the tax you pay when your brand name exceeds your recent results. The ranking snub isn’t personal — it’s the pollsters’ way of saying, prove it first, then we’ll believe.

The respect will come later in the season. Recruits who visited LA this weekend witnessed something the polls can’t erase: an offense in sync and a defense with purpose. In today’s landscape, that performance doubles as marketing. Whether or not USC cracked the Top 25, the film tells its own story. Should the Trojans feel insulted? Probably not. Respect in college football is rarely handed out in Week 1, especially when the opposition is perceived as weak. Lincoln Riley’s squad will have its chance soon enough.

People livid over USC’s snub

Of course, fans wasted no time chiming in. One summed up the slight with a short but sharp jab: “Good. Keep doubting us.” That’s the classic chip-on-the-shoulder mentality that often fuels programs in Riley’s position.

Another pointed to timing as the real issue, writing, “The AP and Coaches polls won’t give USC a sniff until after the Michigan State game, when USC is 4-0. Things will change if USC beats Illinois and Michigan in Weeks 5 and 7.” That’s not just a hunch — it’s rooted in how rankings historically shift. Quality wins over ranked opponents are the currency that actually moves the needle, and until USC cashes some in, their stock will hover outside the top tier.

Frustration boiled over in another post: “Yeah that makes total sense.. No, no it doesn’t. Boise St got whacked and we did what a good team is supposed to do to a lesser team would should not go backwards.” That kind of complaint highlights the inconsistency in poll logic — sometimes teams get credit for blowing out weak opponents, sometimes they don’t. USC, unfortunately, drew the short straw this week.

Others kept it blunt. “Mind boggling. Should be top 15. Sincerely, A Duck die-hard,” one Oregon fan confessed, echoing that even rivals saw the snub as excessive. And finally, a one-word gut punch: “Terrible.” But one thing is clear: The Trojans have both, the roster and the fan support. All they now need are Ws in their scorecard to make a comeback to the Top 25 list.