LOS ANGELES -- Soaked by the steady Southern California rain that had showered the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for more than four hours Saturday night, Lincoln Riley sank into his seat at the postgame news conference and admitted the significance of USC keeping its College Football Playoff hopes alive with a 30-18 upset of No. 2 Ohio State.
"I say this all the time," Riley said. "Every game is its own season. It's just what it feels like. This was a big one."
Three weeks after relishing a road win over Penn State and one week after putting up the worst offensive performance of Riley's career in a 24-7 loss to Wisconsin off a bye, USC crafted its signature win and arguably its most complete performance yet in a victory that prompted the sold-out crowd to storm the field.
The performance had the substance of not just the best win of Riley's five-year tenure, but one that brought to life his vision of a program he believed was more equipped than ever to win at a high level. The crowd grew louder by the quarter, the offense raced out to a 20-9 halftime lead and the defense made the Buckeyes, who were missing starting quarterback Julian Sayin, earn every yard. The Trojans (7-2, 4-2 Big Ten) didn't allow a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter.
USC's highly touted freshman class shone against Ohio State (6-2, 4-1), highlighted by 145 all-purpose yards from wide receiver Trent Mosley and a 70-yard catch-and-run from tight end Mark Bowman that included an eye-popping hurdle and several broken tackles.
And then there was the fact that, with Ohio State being called for 11 penalties Saturday, Riley's team was the more disciplined group.
"We had to do a good job of getting past last week, and I thought our team did a phenomenal job. We were more patient," Riley said. "I know what's building within those walls. Like, I know it, and all my years of experience, and all that I've kind of seen and got to experience in this game, tells me that. I believe that with every fiber of my being. I felt like we would play well. I knew we would respond."
Despite being outgained by 126 yards and Ohio State winning the possession battle by nearly 19 minutes, USC was at its most efficient Saturday, forcing a key turnover in the first half and turning four of its first six drives into scores while the defense held its ground on four of the Buckeyes' five red zone trips. Even the special teams unit, often a thorn in the Trojans' side, played its part when kicker Ryon Sayeri nailed a 54-yard field goal in the first half.
When posed with the notion that Saturday's victory keeps USC's goals for this season alive, Riley flashed a big smile.
"Hell yeah, it does," he said. "Say it louder for the people in the back. You see it across the country, like, every week's a battle. What you did last week doesn't matter what you do next week. ... This win is important for now. It's important for later."
Not only does it keep the Trojans' CFP hopes alive, it also delivers a timely retort to the growing questions surrounding Riley's future.
Earlier this week, after the loss to Wisconsin, those questions went from simmering to boiling. It prompted Riley to give a definitive statement not just about his desire to be at USC beyond this season but also about his belief that he was still the right guy for the job.
"Listen, if I didn't want to be at this place, I wouldn't have come here in the first place," Riley said Tuesday. "If I didn't want to be at this place, I've had plenty of opportunities to leave. This is where I want to be. This is the right place for me. I'm the right person to be here."
On Saturday, after all the news conference questions had been answered, Riley reiterated that point. He pulled out a handwritten note with a prepared statement and read it aloud, though its intended recipient was unclear.
"This program is built on internal joy, not external applause," Riley said. "This win is for all the staff members, the players, the leaders, admin, all the people within the walls. I said before this game that I'm the right person for this job, and as long as all those people know that, that's all I care about. I appreciate being part of this university and all it does. I appreciate our kids and our staff, and I'm going to continue to fight on because that's what being a Trojan is all about. Adios."
