Peristyle Podcast - USC Trojan Football Discussion

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Trojans have a bye week to try and fix the major issues from the Illinois loss Oct 01, 2025

Show notes

In this edition of the Peristyle Podcast hosts Ryan Abraham, Connor Morrissette (aka "Triple Double") and intern India Otto are back to discuss what they saw from USC in the 34-32 loss at Illinois. It was a disappointing effort from the Men of Troy and they will need to use this bye week to figure out what went wrong and how they can fix it heading into an extremely important home game against Michigan.

After rewatching the game, the crew talks about some of the highs that stood out, including incredible performances by Jayden Maiava, Makai Lemon and the tight ends, and the most concerning lows that included poor linebacker play, a lack of pressure from defensive line and poor coverage skills in the secondary.

They also give an update from Tuesday's practice, where head coach Lincoln Riley put any rumors of rampant food poisoning that had a major impact on the players to bed, saying that a few guys were affected but it wasn't widespread and it wasn't an excuse for why they played so poorly. They then provide some injury updates including center Kilian O'Connor being out at least two games and running back Bryan Jackson who has no timetable for his return.

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Road Trip Champaign: USC takes last-second 34-32 loss to Illinois Oct 01, 2025

Show notes

Road Trip, a Peristyle Podcast off shoot, gives a closer sideline look at USC's 34-32 loss on the road to Illinois in Gies Memorial Stadium.

Helium Boys Podcast: What went wrong at Illinois for USC, Makai Lemon and Disney+ logins Sep 30, 2025

Show notes

Shotgun Spratling and Chris Trevino are backbehind the microphones to discuss the first loss of the season for the Trojans in Saturday's 34-31 loss to Illinois in the Top 25 matchup. USC staged a massive comeback in the fourth quarter with a go-ahead score with less than two minutes remaining in the game but allowed a game-winning 41-yard field goal as time expired.

Shotgun uses his 'Two-Minute Drill' for his overall thoughts on USC's Saturday loss while Chris talks about his interaction with USC legend and Heisman-winning running back Marcus Allen.

The Helium Boys then dive into Stock Up, Stock Down for the Trojans, which includes Makai Lemon's monster performance, Jaydan Maiava's improvements, the lack of impact from USC's defensive line, the tight end impact and Lincoln Riley's clock management in the end.

Coach Harvey Hyde diagnoses what went wrong in USC's 34-32 loss to Illinois Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of the Peristyle Podcasts hosts Ryan Abraham and Coach Harvey Hyde are back together talking about the latest poor performance for the Trojans on the road, falling to the Fighting Illini 34-32 Saturday morning in Champaign. USC didn't look like it handled the multiple time zone travel and early kickoff very well, despite the team heading out to the Midwest a day early.

Coach Hyde gives his thoughts on what went wrong for the Trojans on this Big Ten road trip, with an offense that looked like it could do almost anything it wanted and a defense that looked confused and failed to pick up stops time and time again. USC had no business being in the game but somehow mounted a crazy 14-point comeback late, taking a 32-31 lead with under two minutes left in the game. Unfortunately the defense wasn't able to step up and the Trojans lead was short lived with Illinois kicking the game winning field goal as time expired.

On the offensive side, Coach Hyde talks about how there shouldn't be any excuses for injuries, football is a physical game and guys get hurt. He wants to see a better rhythm with the offense and let quarterback Jayden Maiava run the football more.

On the defensive side Coach Hyde thinks Lincoln Riley was critical of the defense for the first time. A couple of years ago Riley said he would be move involved with the defense but from what we can see, he hasn't been. He is also seeing a lot of confusion when the ball is snapped and guys don't look like they know what they should be doing. It doesn't appear that this group is playing as a cohesive unit and it's hard to win football games without a good defense.

Coach Harvey Hyde has been part of the Peristyle Podcast since 2008 and in the USC football world he is an expert on X's and O's, personnel, coaching philosophies and recruiting.

Please follow Coach Hyde on X, Facebook and Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CoachHarveyHyde⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or go to his website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HarveyHyde.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for all his his content, including Vegas & Southern California radio shows.

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Please review, rate and subscribe to the Peristyle Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

Make sure you check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠USCFootball.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for complete coverage of this USC Trojan football team.

Tunnel Vision: Sloppy play sinks Trojans in Champaign Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

On this latest edition of Tunnel Vision USCFootball.com's Ryan Abraham, Connor Morrissette (aka "Triple-Double") and intern Riley Sager are back in studio breaking down another disappointing road performance by this USC football team, falling to Illinois 34-32 in Champaign. The offense turned it over twice, the defense couldn't get a stop and untimely penalties, including one that wiped out a 75-yard touchdown, continue to plague the Trojans who fall to 4-1 on the season, 1-1 in the Big Ten, and out of the AP top-25.

Despite all of the sloppy play and miscues, USC miraculously took a 32-31 lead with 1:55 left in the game, the first and only lead for the guys in Cardinal and Gold. Then the Fighting Illini did what they had done all game, moved the ball with ease against the Trojan defense, setting up the game winning 41-yard field goal as time expired.

Both Ryan and Connor were in Illinois to witness this debacle and give their thoughts on what went wrong, from Kamari Ramsey getting food poisoning, to center Kilian O'Connor going down with an injury, the defense giving up 503 yards and over 12 yards per pass attempt and everything in between.

This is the podcast version of our Tunnel Vision video show.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CLICK HERE for 30% OFF an annual VIP membership to USCFootball.com!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Please review, rate and subscribe to the Peristyle Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

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Tunnel Vision: Previewing USC's toughest test of the season, a road trip to No. 23 Illinois Sep 26, 2025

Show notes

In this special edition of Tunnel Vision hosts Ryan Abraham and Connor Morrissette (aka "Triple Double") and intern India Otto are back in studio taking a detailed look at USC's next opponent, the Illinois Fighting Illini. The Trojans have started out 2-0 in Big Ten play, with a road win against Purdue and a home victory against Michigan State. Now the task at hand becomes more difficult, playing an ranked Illinois squad that was just humiliated on the road by Indiana. The Illini will do everything it their power to bounce back and use the game against the Trojans as their "get right" game, but will Jayden Maiava and company simply be too much for the Illini?

USC's offense has been clicking with an explosive passing attack and relentless ground game and it will try and exploit an Illinois defense that has been decimated by injuries in the secondary. The Trojans have only punted four times all season and with Maiava taking care of the football, the points have been coming fast and furious.

Defensively no program has sacked the quarterback more than the Trojans and no Power Four school has given up as many sacks as the Illini. If the USC pass rush can get home, it should go a long way to picking up a win in Champaign.

⁠⁠This is the podcast version of our Tunnel Vision video show.

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Please review, rate and subscribe to the Peristyle Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

Make sure you check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠USCFootball.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for complete coverage of this USC Trojan football team.

Composite Two-Star Recruits: Recapping big visit weekend, USC's run game and Top 25 road game Sep 25, 2025

Show notes

The Composite Two-Star Recruits podcast is back to recapping big visit weekend for the Michigan State win, USC's run game and a Top 25 road matchup with No. 23 Illinois.

TIME STAMPS

(0:00) Happy Birthday Five-Stars Only

(10:18) Visitor Recap

(01:02:13) Recruiting Angle Offense

(01:42:53) Recruiting Angle Defense

(02:11:27) Illinois Road Game Preview

(02:44:54) Listener Questions

Looking at the MSU win and previewing the important road trip to Illinois Sep 24, 2025

Show notes

In this edition of the Peristyle Podcast hosts Ryan Abraham, Connor Morrissette (aka "Triple Double") and intern India Otto are back to talk about USC's 4-0 start following the 45-31 win over Michigan State late Saturday night in the Coliseum. The crew will also preview the extremely important road game between No. 21 USC and No. 23 Illinois with Jeremy Werner from the IlliniInquirer.

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Make sure you check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠USCFootball.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for complete coverage of this USC Trojan football team.

Tunnel Vision - Catching up with Jahkeem Stewart following his 2 TFL game against Michigan State Sep 24, 2025

Show notes

In this special edition of Tunnel Vision hosts Ryan Abraham and Connor Morrissette (aka "Triple Double") are welcoming in true freshman defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart (aka "Thanos") about his first four games wearing the Cardinal and Gold and his breakout performance late Saturday night in the Coliseum with a pair of tackles for loss against Michigan State.

Thanks to House of Victory, the 6-foot-5, 290-pound five-star freshman defensive lineman from Edna Karr in Reserve (La.) will chat live with the guys, talking about that his massive performance over the weekend, his decision to reclassify to the class of 2025, making the move from Louisiana to Los Angeles, picking up at least one tackle for losses in his last three games, how he has adjusted to the speed of the game and lots more.

The interview with Thanos was conducted in conjunction with House of Victory, an alumni-backed nonprofit collective dedicated to providing a competitive edge in the NIL space for University of Southern California student-athletes.

If you want to help out USC's NIL efforts, you can donate to House of Victory ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CLICK HERE for 30% OFF an annual VIP membership to USCFootball.com!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Please review, rate and subscribe to the Peristyle Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

Make sure you check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠USCFootball.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for complete coverage of this USC Trojan football team.

Helium Boys Podcast: USC runs over Michigan State, Top 25 date with Illinois and bowling Sep 23, 2025

Show notes

Shotgun Spratling and Chris Trevino return for another edition of the Helium Boys Podcast to discuss the Trojans moving to 4-0 on the season with Saturday's late night 45-31 win over Michigan State in the Big Ten home opener.

Chris spends his 'Two-Minute Drill' looking at head coach Lincoln Riley and USC's dedication to the run game through the first four games this season while Shotgun takes on the penalty issues that persist with the Trojans.

They then dive into their Stocks for Saturday's game, which include the run game, running back Waymond Jordan Jr., QB Jayden Maiava, USC handling injuries to star receiver Ja'Kobi Lane and offensive tackle Elijah Paige and linebacker Eric Gentry's tackling.

The Helium Boys then dive into the second half of the show to preview USC's big Top 25 road game with No. 23 Illinois, which is coming off a humbling loss to Indiana. USC now finds itself as the higher ranked team at No. 21 after Illinois plummeted down from No. 9 to No. 23. This is the first meeting between the two teams since the 2008 Rose Bowl. It will be the first meeting in Champaign since 1996, won 55-3 by the Trojans

They also take questions on Makai Lemon, preparing for a 9 a.m. PT kickoff against No. 23 Illinois, the linebacker production, USC's secondary and more.

Please review, rate and subscribe to the Peristyle Podcast on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠!

Make sure you check out ⁠⁠USCFootball.com⁠⁠ for complete coverage of this USC Trojans football and basketball teams.

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