Matt Leinart Doubles Down On Scathing USC Football Criticisms After OT Loss To Penn State

The USC Trojans welcomed the Big Ten's Penn State Nittany Lions to town on Saturday in a showdown between two of the Big Ten's most storied programs.

Coach Lincoln Riley's Trojans jumped out to a 7-3 lead over James Franklin's squad leading to a back-and-forth, high-scoring affair seemingly more befitting of the now-defunct Pac-12 than any other conference.

Franklin's Nittany Lions eventually took control, answering a missed USC field goal in overtime with a made field goal of their own to win 33-30 in Los Angeles.

Afterward, USC football dignitary, former Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback Matt Leinart doubled down on recent feelings and criticisms surrounding his school.

"Mediocrity isn't the standard at USC," Leinart said on X. "Period!"

USC football was outgained 518 yards to 409 on the evening.

They gave up 400 yards passing to the Nittany Lions a week after losing on the road to Minnesota and four weeks after they were shredded on the ground by the defending national champion Michigan Wolverines.

The Trojans currently place 15th among all Big Ten teams in the standings with a 3-3 record — an outcome that seemed unfathomable after their season-opening win over SEC power LSU on September 1.

Next up for Riley's team is a trip to Maryland next weekend to play the Terrapins. A win could put Riley and his team back on a path toward salvaging their collective season. A loss could begin to spell the end of the 41-year USC boss' run in Los Angeles, and perhaps another social media share from Leinart and others alerting the college football world to the team's longstanding lack of championship level success.

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