Kirk Herbstreit Warns Lincoln Riley, USC Trojans Before Crucial LSU Matchup

The USC Trojans have a tough matchup to kick off the 2024 season as they take on the LSU Tigers at 7:30 P.M. Eastern on August 31. During a segment on "College GameDay," Kirk Herbstreit made sure to send a warning to USC coach Lincoln Riley for this game.

USC hasn't quite lived up to the hype since hiring Riley as head coach. Now the program starts the season with a huge matchup to kick off the season.

The Trojans have made several key additions to the coaching staff this offseason. USC has been a liability defensively and new defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn from UCLA. That new addition is what Herbstreit focused on in his warning to Riley.

"This is a big test Week 1. To be able to go into a neutral environment and go up against Will Campbell (LSU's star offensive tackle) who's not afraid to say what they're saying behind closed doors, 'It's gonna be a street fight. we're gonna punch them right in the mouth.'"

USC hired Riley as head coach in 2021. Since then, he's led the Trojans to a 19-8 record through two seasons. Heading into his third year, this program hopes to see some improvement. Especially now that they're in the Big Ten.

The Trojans have maintained a high-powered offense, as Riley is one of the best offensive-minded coaches in college football. But the defense has been a key issue, which has been Riley's Achilles heel throughout his career.

Last season was a bit of a disappointing year for USC despite having Caleb Williams as quarterback. The Trojans finished with an 8-5 record. They were solid offensively, ranking top-three in the nation according to Sports Reference. USC averaged 41.8 points and 467.6 total yards per game.

However, that defense was atrocious. The Trojans ended with a 121 ranking on Sports Reference. USC's defense averaged allowing 34.4 points and 432.8 total yards per game.

Although USC begins this season ranked No. 23 in the nation while LSU starts as the No. 13 ranked team. The Tigers have a well-balanced roster with Brian Kelly leading the way as head coach.

This should be a fun game as both offenses should light up the scoreboard. It may come down to which team can get a stop late in the contest. If Riley and the Trojans show improvement defensively, then USC is a team to watch for as a possible playoff candidate.

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