While discussing the upcoming college football season on the popular “Josh Pate’s College Football Show,” insider Josh Pate highlighted real improvement inside the USC Trojans program that most people are still not noticing or talking about. He even predicted massive steps for head coach Lincoln Riley and the team next season.
The Trojans struggled in their first season in the Big Ten. They finished with a 7-6 overall record and a 4-5 mark in conference play. The season culminated with a Las Vegas Bowl appearance, where USC defeated the Texas A&M Aggies but failed to make the College Football Playoff.
Josh Pate’s 2025 USC Trojans Assessment
Pate made it clear that he anticipates the Trojans being vastly improved next year.
Ladies & gentlemen
I am ready to believe in USC pic.twitter.com/HCgMjvGPMD
— Josh Pate (@JoshPateCFB) February 24, 2025
“It’s real,” Pate clarified. “It’s not going to be talked about nationally for a while, but there is some stuff happening inside that program that’s real; it’s tangible. It’s not smoke and mirrors, it’s not acting, it’s not performative, it’s not winning a spring national championship or anything like that.
“The right people are in the building,” Pate said. “That’s really what matters. That’s what it comes down to with everyone who wins in this sport.”
He uploaded the clip to his X profile and summarized his thoughts on the Trojans next year by stating that he is ready to invest in the team.
“Ladies & gentlemen, I am ready to believe in USC.”
Will USC Improve Next Season?
The Trojans are about to begin their second season in the Big Ten Conference. Of the newcomers from the Pac-12, Oregon had the most successful opening season.
Because of this, among other factors, head coach Lincoln Riley’s pressure has grown in Los Angeles. He has spent the previous three seasons with the Trojans and will have a big task ahead of him to bring USC back to the top of the college football world.
FIGHT ON: Lincoln Riley Issues Warning As USC’s Defense Aims to Become Nation’s Best
As a result, Riley and new general manager Chad Bowden will need to be active in recruiting and the transfer portal if the Trojans want to challenge for their first National Championship since the 2004 season. Bowden was previously a member of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish front office staff.
Riley and the Trojans will open the 2025 season on Aug. 30 in the Coliseum against the FBS newcomer Missouri State Bears.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, and more!
