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 opener on Saturday, save for the margin of victory.
There were no conclusions to draw from the 73-13 victory over Missouri State. There were no definitive statements that could be made about the direction of the program.
Is Riley a fraud or is he actually building something other than a $200-million practice facility?