USC’s offense hit rock bottom Saturday evening, coughing up a brutal seven points in a 24-7 road loss to Wisconsin. That’s the fewest points the Trojans have put up in over *eight years*, marking the worst offensive output in Lincoln Riley’s entire coaching career. Seriously, let that sink in.
A Historic Low for Riley’s Offense
This wasn’t just a bad day at the office. Back in 2018, when USC last scored fewer than seven points, it was under head coach Clay Helton and offensive coordinator Tee Martin in a loss to Stanford. The starting quarterback that day was, unbelievably, supposed to still be in high school. Fast forward to Saturday. We’re talking about a fifth-year senior quarterback leading the charge, and “one of the best offensive minds in the sport” in Lincoln Riley calling the shots. Yet, they managed just one single touchdown. The expectation was completely different this time around, and the result is frankly stunning.
What This Means for the Trojans Moving Forward
With this crushing defeat, the Trojans slid to 6-2 on the year and 3-2 in Big Ten play. The record itself isn’t a complete disaster yet, but the way they played offense is a massive red flag. Throughout Riley’s tenure, even with all the struggles over the past five years, the offense being able to score points has been a consistent positive. It was the one thing you could always count on. For that cornerstone to completely collapse against Wisconsin? That is incredibly concerning.
The Trojans have got to figure this out fast. When your supposed offensive strength disappears like that, it leaves you wondering what exactly *can* be relied upon for the rest of the season. Every eye will be on how they respond to this historically bad performance, because if they don’t turn it around, that 6-2 record could quickly unravel.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply