USC Trojans Recruiting: Lincoln Riley Phone Blowing Up After LSU Game?

After the No. 23 USC Trojans defeated the No. 13 LSU Tigers in an exciting upset, Trojans coach Lincoln Riley was immediately asked about the future. How does the win impact future recruiting for the USC football program?

Sep 1, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Southern California Trojans running back Woody Marks (4) breaks the tackle of LSU Tigers safety Dashawn Spears (10) to score a touchdown in the final seconds of the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The No. 23 USC Trojans defeated the No. 13 LSU Tigers in the Modelo Vegas Kickoff Classic on Sept. 1. As the only college football game of the day, the close game provided plenty of entertainment for fans and recruits across the country.

When asked if he has heard from any recruits after the game, USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley smirked at the question.

“I haven’t turned [my phone] on yet, but it’ll buzz for a while when I do,” said Riley.

Four-star linebacker Madden Faraimo (2025), five-star defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart (2026), and five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons (2025) were all in attendance to witness the exciting Trojans’ win. All three recruits are major targets for Riley and his coaching staff. The high school prospects joined a crowd of 63,969 in Las Vegas, setting an Allegiant Stadium attendance record.

Sep 1, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Southern California Trojans running back Woody Marks (4) breaks the tackle of LSU Tigers safety Dashawn Spears (10) to score a touchdown in the final seconds of the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

However, Riley also notes the impact that this win might have on the recruits watching from home on TV. He spoke to reporters after the game, explaining the positives of a win like this when it comes to recruiting.

“You got recruits that are looking towards the future,” said Riley. "They see the changes that we’ve made, not just this year but in the last couple of years, and to see those changes come together and see the team play. Not just win the game, but play the way we did, you know what I mean? I’m sure anybody watching that game could see a team that was pretty together and a team that was really fighting and was playing some pretty darn good football in a lot of spurts.”

In the 2024 team recruiting rankings, USC finished with the No. 17 overall class, according to the 247Sports Composite. A relatively disappointing finish for USC’s standards in 2024, the Trojans’ 2025 recruiting class already ranks No. 14 with three months remaining until the early signing period.

Sep 1, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts in the first half against the LSU Tigers at Allegiant Stadium. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Faraimo is ranked the No. 5 overall player in California and the No. 7 linebacker in the country by the 247Sports Composite. USC is competing with schools like Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Texas for Faraimo’s commitment.

The Trojans currently have four-star linebackers Matai Tagoa’i and Jadon Perlotte committed in the class of 2025. Trojans defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn looks to add a top-100 prospect in Faraimo to an already impressive recruiting class.

Now that playoff expansion has arrived, teams like USC and LSU may stop scheduling these marquee matchups to open the season if they no longer need a strong resume to be considered a top-four team. However, Riley and the Trojans football team ultimately took advantage of the attention brought from being the only game of the day.

“I think it’s an exciting game when you get a stage like that, which is rare in college football. You got one day, there’s no NFL games. There’s not much else going on, right? This was kind of our day here on one of the biggest stages, so to show up like that, I know there was a lot of people watching,” said Riley.

Sep 1, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Miller Moss (7) throws a pass against the LSU Tigers during the first quarter at Allegiant Stadium. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Riley has the Trojans’ 2026 recruiting class off to a strong start, already ranked No. 5 in the nation. Five-stars Lyons and Stewart both saw the Trojans defeat the Tigers, but they are being recruited by nearly every top program in the country.

Stewart is currently ranked No. 1 overall by the same 247Sports Composite, and the No. 1 player from Louisiana might have paid particular attention to this game against LSU. Lyons is also a top prospect in the 2026 class as one of the best quarterback recruits in the country.

Both Stewart and Lyons have a long ways to go in their recruitments, but who knows how many recruitments witnessed Trojans’ resounding win over LSU.

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