It wasn’t just a home run, it was touted as a grand slam.
Lincoln Riley was going to make USC an annual title contender and restore glory to a once-proud program. The championship was supposed to come after the former Oklahoma coach left for Los Angeles, especially after bringing in quarterback Caleb Williams.
Instead, there was more hype than substance, media gaffes, poor fielding, and an underwhelming result.
Last year, USC failed to advance past Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game, and the loss cost the Trojans a spot in the College Football Playoff. He could be the No. 1 pick in April’s NFL Draft, and despite the great talent of Williams, last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, this year has been even worse.
Riley’s team was once again eliminated from the playoffs by Utah on Saturday night. A Utah team without star quarterback Cameron Rising had totaled 21 points in two games against Pac-12 contenders UCLA and Oregon State. USC was fortunate to get past Colorado and Arizona, unable to stop Pac-12 teams unlikely to finish in the top half of the conference.
Think about this. Through 22 games, Riley has the same record as Clay Helton (17-5). He was hired to be the next Pete Carroll. To make matters worse, Riley is starting to make excuses.
After the loss, he felt that expectations had exhausted the team. He suggested that coverage of championship wins is media-driven and that USC doesn’t “come in every week about winning a national championship.” He must have forgotten that he told reporters in July 2022 that he and his staff weren’t leaving Oklahoma “to play secondary.” The players were not shown to reporters on Saturday, a short-sighted decision that did no one any good.
Mike D’Antoni and Riley have great offensive minds but often fail to develop competent defenses. That’s what kept Oklahoma from winning a title despite an elite offense and future NFL quarterbacks Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts and Baker Mayfield. USC allows him 407.6 yards per game and he concedes 30.5 points per contest, a disastrous number that ranks among the worst among power conference programs.
Worst of all, USC is wasting a gem of talent in Williams, who has seemed to be on the decline as of late, with just one touchdown and three interceptions over the past two weeks. That being said, the defense has allowed 72 points in the last two losses against Utah and Notre Dame. Offense isn’t the problem – it never was for Riley.
It may not get much better. USC still has to play the big two in Washington and Oregon. Riley may be looking at his first four-loss season in an overwhelmingly successful coaching career. This is not how anyone but this year aims for the Trojans – most of all, a coach who said he didn’t come to USC to play at No. 2. For now, finishing second in the Pac-12 would be a great accomplishment.
Another Nittany Lion disappointment.
It was the perfect time to acquire Ohio State. That was Downstar running back Treveyon Henderson, No. 2 receiver Emeka Egbuka and No. 1 cornerback Denzel Burke. The Buckeyes were vulnerable, and aside from the brilliance of Marvin Harrison Jr., the offense lacked punch.
However, that didn’t matter. Penn State and James Franklin continued to fail, suffering their 11th loss in 12 games to Ohio State and falling to 3-16 against top-10 teams. His offense was completely lacking, and his total yards were limited to his 240 yards. The defense couldn’t stop Harrison, who finished with 11 catches for 162 yards and one touchdown. From the beginning, he was conservative and coached to avoid losing.
This loss doesn’t necessarily mean the Nittany Lions are eliminated, but the Nittany Lions will beat undefeated Michigan in Happy Valley on Nov. 11, and look for the Wolverines to beat Ohio State on Thanksgiving weekend. They are placed in a precarious position. However, it seems unlikely that Penn State will be able to overcome Michigan State.
Franklin has a growing reputation for being a small presence in big spots. Saturday was just the latest blemish as he was good, but it wasn’t enough to elevate this program to true contender status.
On duty in Michigan
It’s time to give Michigan credit.
Yes, none of the Wolverines are playing. Their best win was against Rutgers, which was mediocre at best. But every week we see the top teams struggle against lower-ranked opponents. This week, for example, Washington State narrowly defeated Arizona State, North Carolina lost to a formidable Virginia, and Oklahoma State had issues with sub-.500 Central Florida.
However, the University of Michigan overwhelmed everyone, outscoring their opponents by a huge margin of 229-31. His average score is 28.6-3.8. The defense allowed double digits only once. Either that sign-stealing scheme is truly a game-changer, or Jim Harbaugh’s team is on a mission.
