How does beating up a second-rate team help Lincoln Riley make USC a contender again?

USC coach Lincoln Riley leads his team out of the tunnel before a 73-13 season-opening victory over Missouri State at the Coliseum on Saturday.Lincoln Riley wants to make USC a national power, but playing low-level programs probably won’t help that cause.

USC’s soft early-season schedule will only be justified if they can defeat top Big Ten programs this season.

Riley may be running short on time when it comes to turning USC into a national title contender.

This was what Lincoln Riley wanted.

A half-empty Coliseum. An overwhelmed opponent. The anonymous visitors from Palookaville booed as they marched onto the field.

Los Angeles is about big events, and there was nothing big about USC’s season…