The USC Trojans and head coach Lincoln Riley threw a bit of a curveball on Saturday when it was announced right before kickoff that Micah Banuelos would be starting at right guard on the offensive line in place of Alani Noa.
Noa has been the starter at right guard for almost his entire career since he was a true freshman in 2023. He was named the starter ahead of Week 1. He recorded a 69.6 overall grade against Missouri State, per PFF, which was actually the highest grade among the starting offensive line.
Micah Banuelos has battled injuries during the early part of his career, but is finally healthy. He had a really great fall camp and put himself in a position to contend for a starting role. There was some thought that he would start at left guard if the team had decided to keep Tobias Raymond at right tackle.
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After the game on Saturday, Coach Riley told us that the move was an “inside the walls” decision and that he wanted to leave it that.
Banuelos spoke to the media after practice on Tuesday and revealed how much notice he was given that he would be starting.
Micah Banuelos Was Told During Stretching That He Would Start For USC Trojans
Leading into the game, it sounds like the plan was to keep the same starting five on the line. But during the stretching period on the field, Banuelos was told that he would be starting at right guard.
Micah Banuelos said he didn’t find out he was starting at right guard last Saturday against Georgia Southern until USC was stretching before the game.
— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) September 10, 2025
Lincoln Riley said they hadn’t determined their best five yet, but that Banuelos “certainly established he was in the mix.”
I don’t want to speculate as to why this move was made, but what we do know is that the first two games of the season would be used as a testing ground to find the best starting five for the rest of the year.
So it could have merely been an opportunity to continue the competition and see how Banuelos fared with the other starting four.
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It certainly feels like the line is set with Elijah Paige at left tackle, Tobias Raymond at left guard, Kilian O’Connor at center, and Justin Tauanuu at right tackle. The right guard spot looks like the last one that needs some cementing.
It’s a good problem to have, as it looks like the USC Trojans have two very capable starters in both Noa and Banuelos. With the long rigors of a Big Ten schedule, depth on the offensive line is absolutely critical.