College football analyst names USC, Lincoln Riley as team that must make playoffs in 2026

USC enters the 2026 season with playoff expectations—and at least one prominent analyst says that makes head coach Lincoln Riley the program’s most pressure-heavy figure. Writing around the expanded College Football Playoff, which will include 12 teams with the possibility of further growth after this season, Josh Pate’s list highlights Riley as a coach who must deliver. Riley arrived in 2022 from Oklahoma and has produced individual success, including Caleb Williams winning the Heisman Trophy, but USC has not reached the playoff. After going 7-6 in 2024, USC improved to 9-4 in 2025; the progress hasn’t yet translated into postseason contention. With roster investment and realistic playoff aspirations, another year outside the bracket could intensify questions about Riley’s ability to restore USC’s championship-level results.