LOS ANGELES — The USC football team (9-3) will be traveling to San Antonio, Texas to play TCU in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 30.
It’ll be head coach Lincoln Riley’s second time coaching in the bowl game. He served as the interim offensive coordinator for Texas Tech in 2009 and helped the Red Raiders beat Michigan State 41-31.
“It was probably one of the more emotional games that I’ve been a part of,” Riley told reporters during a press conference on Sunday.
Texas Tech had fired head coach Mike Leach in 2009, just two days after the school suspended him. He was under investigation for his treatment of a concussed player.
Assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill served as interim head coach for the Alamo Bowl, and Lincoln Riley moved from inside receivers coach to offensive coordinator.
“We were kind of caught there in the middle of it, and so the opportunity arose out of not a very positive situation,” Riley said.
“You have to have some nights like that where you might look back and say, if this didn’t happen, would we have gotten these opportunities? Would we have had the chance to coach at some of these places or experience what we have? And I think that’s definitely one for me that I still remember like it was yesterday.”
Riley will also be reunited with TCU head coach Sonny Dykes. The two spent time together at Texas Tech when Dykes was an assistant coach and Riley was a player who eventually took on a coaching role.
“I think I’ve known Lincoln probably since he was 18 years old,” Dykes said during the press conference. “He was one of those guys that you could tell early on in his career that he was going to be very successful. Really smart, thoughtful guy.”
USC is making its first-ever appearance in the Alamo Bowl, and it will be the Trojans’ sixth time playing TCU. They’re 2-3 all-time against the Horned Frogs and last lost to TCU in the 1998 Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.
The Trojans were on track to make their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance this season, but a loss in Oregon virtually eliminated their chances of qualifying.
The final CFP rankings, as well as the CFP bracket, were released on Sunday morning. USC was not in the final rankings and last appeared in the Dec. 2 rankings, coming in at No. 16.
It’s unclear if USC’s offense will be at full strength for the Alamo Bowl.
Running back Waymond Jordan has been recovering from an ankle injury, but Riley declined to give a definitive answer during the press conference as to whether he will be ready to compete by Jan. 30.
“Waymond is definitely progressing,” he said. “When we get a little bit closer, I think we’ll collectively make that decision.”
Receiver Makai Lemon is expected to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, although he hasn’t officially declared his decision yet. Ja’Kobi Lane, another receiver, could also decide to declare for the draft.
“We’ve got some guys that are looking to make decisions on this bowl and if they’re turning pro or how that’s going to play out,” Riley said. “I think that’ll clarify here in the next few weeks, but I don’t have any announcements as of right now.”