USC DC D’Anton Lynn reacts during MICH ST game in September. (Luke Hales / Getty Images). Lynn will not be with the USC team for tonight’s Alamo Bowl.
No. 16 USC (9-3) vs. TCU (8-4) in Alamo Bowl, Tuesday, 6 p.m. PT, Alamodome, San Antonio, TV/Radio: ESPN/830 AM
Ryan Kartje (LA Times) — Last December, on the doorstep of its bowl game, USC appeared to finally have its defense headed in the right direction. Defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn had engineered an impressive turnaround in just one year on the job. Young defenders emerged down the stretch and standouts, such as safety Kamari Ramsey and linebacker Eric Gentry, opted to return.
A year later, as USC prepares to face off with Texas Christian in the Alamo Bowl Tuesday, things feel different on that side of the ball. A defense that struggled through growing pains in 2025 will have to overcome the absence of both starting safeties, two starting defensive linemen and its top linebacker in order to finish this season on the right foot. Then, after the bowl game, USC will have to find a new coordinator to lead the group next season.
USC will have a new defensive play caller in Tuesday night’s Alamo Bowl matchup against TCU. Defensive line coach and co-defensive coordinator Eric Henderson (who spent five seasons coaching with the L.A. Rams) will call the plays instead of defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, multiple sources informed USCFootball.com. Lynn was in San Antonio earlier this week with the USC team, but when news broke that he agreed to become Penn State’s next defensive coordinator, USC opted to change defensive play callers.
Lynn is no longer expected to be with the team Tuesday, leaving the Trojans once again without a clear direction for their 2026 defense. It also leaves USC in an unusual spot, looking ahead to the future while also bidding farewell to Lynn.
“You’re going to see some guys play that haven’t played quite as much in the fall,” Lynn said on Saturday. “It’s really kind of setting the foundation for next year.”
Two weeks before the Alamo Bowl, USC got its best news of the bowl season: Star quarterback 
Freshman 
SC has 1st and goal at the 2 yard line and they can’t get in the end zone. TCU has 3rd and 20 on the 35 yard line and they throw a 35 yard TD pass because SC misses 3 to 4 tackles(they must have missed 20 tackles in that game). That’s why they lost. One of the reasons that Maiva didn’t have a great game was that he didn’t have a lot of receivers open. Even on some of the passes he did complete, they weren’t open but they made great catches(Richardson). McAllister from TCU is #4 in the… Read more »
USC got their ass handed to them at the offensive los. Sure seems some portal O linemen are in order. This was a glorified scrimmage, our roster has been decimated, they simply need to get their staff set up quickly and get dialed into the portal and then building for next year. I lost no sleep over losing this game and I don’t put it all on Riley, the execution was not there. 3rd and six you don’t look 40 yards down field even if there is a receiver there, you get the 8-10 yard completion. I don’t remember seeing… Read more »
After a night to sleep on it, it doesn’t feel any better or change my mind. LR’s time should be up in south central LA. You can’t out coach your personality and he is soft. Someone else on here said he’s great with the wine and cheese crowd. Probably helpful in getting alumni to donate $$. Doesn’t help on the field in a game that is ruthless and bloody. Why did so many players sit out? I understand the injury ones and the NFL ones. Players are a reflection of their coach. TCU had one guy not play and he… Read more »
USC was missing almost 30 players( portal,opt outs, injuries) and probably shouldn’t have been favored, but that loss was tough to take.The last play was an embarrassment,with multiple players unable to push their guy out of bounds. They had so many chanced to put this one away and couldn’t. Just the reverse of last years come from behind win vs. A&M
Shades of Tulane(a couple of years ago)
I’ll admit it……for the first time in over 50 years (when it was available) I turned the TV off and went to bed at halftime. I’ll watch it recorded. It’s not worth staying up into the wee hours on the east coast to watch bad football. My Trojans are in trouble. Led by a coach that is not capable. Next year having a QB that is at.best a C plus talent. A recruiting class that is somewhat just filling holes created by transfers and the NFL. For example, our WR’s….will be down next year. Heading into the lions den of… Read more »
I know everyone is upset right now but there really are a lot of reasons why we lost. We had a lot of players who sat out this game. They had only one and he was replaced by a guy that started for 2 years at Vanderbuilt and has thrown for 4400 yards in his college career coming into this game. We didn’t have our defensive play caller who was supposed to make this game his last USC game. Neither of our tight ends played. Having said that, I still keep hearing this voice in my head that says that… Read more »
SC was ranked 17th in the nation in red zone offense. Four times they were down in the red zone without scoring a TD.
NFL opt outs, portal transfers, coaches leaving, suddenly a team is a shell of its regular season self. And a HC that can’t adapt.
That’s it for me folks. This game didn’t really matter, except you can’t do that. That is the point of no return for me. I want LR fired and there is nothing he can do to win me back. There were very few ways where tonight would have ended with me being this disgusted and embarrassed, but LR and crew found one. Bye bye to this era.
TCU was 70th in the nation in rushing defense. SC rushed for 112 yards in 33 carries for a 3.4 average.
Crap. So disappointing. Poor tackling on the critical down if the game.
let’s hire the best DC available. If Riley can’t get his team into the playoffs in 2026, fire his ass.
if we lose Longstreet, that’s on Riley, too. Maieva is not a threat to run because he just won’t do it. Longstreet would have been a nice change of pace tonight. No point doing an RPO if you don’t have a QB who wants to run.
I heard that Longstreet is coming back but this game may have changed that.
I have, in the past, defended Riley; I thought he was a great offensive mind…someone who could guide the Trojans to the playoffs at the very least. But after watching him choke…it was unbearable; it was like he couldn’t breathe. He is the ultimate choke artist, and he will NOT guide SC to anything other than mediocracy.
Gives the Big 10 it’s first loss. Well done USC! PATHETIC! What a way to end the season
It’s back to the future. Hello 2024. The trojans snatch defeat from the hands of victory
Stay well everyone and be safe. Fight on!
To add to the indignity of this loss, King Miller lost yardage on his last attempt and ended up with 99 yards.
Another brutally tough loss under Lincoln Riley. Gonna be a long off-season. ✌
Happy new year
SSDD. NOTHING NEW FROM THIS TEAM
How could Riley miss 4 tackles like that to lose the game.
Oh bleep
Maieva has played poorly.
At least in OT, we don’t need to worry about Riley’s clock management.
He played much better in the first half of the season.
Yes, 007, you’re right. But look back on who we played. It’s no wonder that Maieva played like an Heisman candidate. And yet another crappy loss for a road game. 🤦♂️
Well if the refs were on the ball, the score would be different. Almost to script. The announcers had to call in reinforcement to prove the fumble was an incomplete pass.The pass interference is unbelievable. Letting them play doesn’t cut it.
Excuses aren’t working for me. Gotta win, or slink back to L.A.
The announcers were actually right….they were letting them play…..letting TCU play
Well, here we are. In OT. Gotta Win It! Fight On! Win this sucker now! ✌
Having to trade TD’s for FG’s has cost us as well as all the dumb penalties and mistakes.
plain and simple: chicken choke Riley
I hate overtime.
Riley blew a 10 point lead in the 4th quarter.
New game.
Looks like OT
Some things never change when it comes to Lincoln Riley. His offense can’t keep the damn ball the last minutes of a game and he hands the outcome of the game over to the defense. I’m getting fed up with Lincoln Riley!
We should all be used to this after four years. Still frustrating
They had 1st and goal at the 2 in the overtime. He runs the ball right up the middle when they had 9 guys in the box. Miller loses 3 back to the 5.
I have a bad feeling about this game
I hate to say it but so do I and not just about the game.Doofus Lincoln
This is bad.
Maieva’s 2 INTs cost us this game. IF we lose.
Defense is either going to save us or give up a score to tie or lose the game
Trying to run the clock and just get a first down to end this game and LR goes for the bomb. Not a top ten coach would do that.
Did Riley throw the ball?
There were other receivers short who got ignored by the QB
He didn’t throw it, but it was an option he obviously schemed and allowed. You instruct your player to exercise only the options that will give you the best chance to win
Defense looked totally confused before the snap on that TCU touchdown.
If we lose this lead someone needs to be fired.
they will fire Lynn
😀
At least we have a 10 point lead now. Just keep playing hard and close it out.
lets get another 28 points.
Just how big is our guy on offense wearing #95?
he looks like The Mountain on Game of Thrones!
Jadyn Ramos, freshman, 220 listed beginning of the season.
320? 420?
Miller 95 yards
Miller needs to break on 35 yard run.
Tanook Hines is going to be great next year!
Do we seriously think Longstreet is gonna hang around and watch this for another year? The 2026 schedule is ugly and there will be some trying times.
There is an awful lot for him to consider for the long view. He should stay, there is a ton of QB’s in the portal now with PT.
Defense is playing great tonight! We have the lead and now just need to extend the lead next time we get the ball back.
That was one hell of a catch for the TD
reminds you of jakobi Lane
I hope Riley has supreme confidence that Husan won’t transfer. Obvious at this point that he has not put in any packages to use Husan’s skill set. If we see Overstreet it will be in garbage time.
LONGstreet, but we knew who you were talkin about
Hey I am tired and it’s 11:30 here. What do expect from an old fart?🤣
Maiava plays like this next season he gets benched and no nfl. He should have gone this year or he better improve a lot.
After all the time he has as a starter….there are no excuses…..he should be gone…..now….he is playing like he did two years ago.
Why are they keeping this moron of a coach?
Guaranteed contract at a stupid amount for a glorified coordinator. Too much if a contract to eat.
Sorry………others have done it…….they actually want this guy to run the program another 3 years?
We got to keep our great recruiting class. If he doesn’t make the likely expanded CFP in 2026, a change should be made.
I think they will look at 2027 as the deadline. 26 is killer schedule and 27 isn’t a lot better.
Sometimes you have to wonder what Maiava is thinking
As I said before, he’s been starting QB in college for 2 1/2years. Those are stupid mental mistakes. Dumb interceptions.
Unbelievable. Maieva is a turnover machine.