It’s always something with this guy.
A lackluster performance against winless Rutgers was brushed off as typical road struggles.
A defeat to Oregon, despite their backup quarterback, was viewed as a loss to a strong opponent.
And a comeback against a Washington team missing its top players was celebrated as a turning point.
The signs were there, and now it seems USC coach Lincoln Riley can no longer escape the mounting issues. His team is unlikely to achieve anything significant in 2026.
Entering Year 5—with a shiny new practice facility, a third defensive coordinator, and all imaginable resources—his Trojans have hit another wall.
When will he just acknowledge that he’s not reaching an acceptable standard, especially given the level of patience and investment he’s received?
Essentially, USC’s season took a nosedive after their latest disappointing loss, a 24-7 defeat to Wisconsin, marking their second loss with four games remaining.
Consider Camp Randall Stadium the site of USC’s season’s demise. With a record of 6-2 and 3-2 in the Big Ten, they sit in seventh place in the conference.
A team that can’t afford another defeat now has to win against an upcoming slate featuring three top-10 opponents—Ohio State, Indiana, and UCLA—to have any hope of the College Football Playoff.
Riley attempted to put a positive spin on the situation, even though it seems nearly impossible.
USC registered the fewest points of any team Riley has ever coached during his ten seasons as head coach.
They crossed midfield four times without scoring. Attempting a 58-yard field goal ended predictably in failure, and they rushed for a staggering minus-17 yards, despite earlier claims of untapped potential in the run game.
While he accepted some blame, mentioning poor decisions and coaching, there was still a characteristic defiance in his tone.
“This is the same team that played a different style of football against Penn State two weeks ago, and we’re capable of doing it again,” Riley claimed. “But we must execute it, and it’ll take everyone—coaches and players.”
But where do we even begin?
First off, every team is capable of winning against Penn State, considering their struggles in the Big Ten. It’s hardly a benchmark for measuring competence.
Compounding the confusion of the Badgers loss was the fact that it followed a bye week. Riley had an explanation at the ready for that, too.
“Whether you have seven days to prepare or 14, execution is key. You must take care of the ball, excel on third downs, avoid second-and-19 penalties, and make field goals. I’m disappointed,” he remarked.
The real question lies with how disappointed his superiors are.
If the Trojans fail to make the College Football Playoff—especially when USC billboards declare “The Time is Now”—will athletic director Jen Cohen and the USC Board reconsider his position? Are they ready to invest the approximately $70 million needed to buy out Riley and his staff? Can they even find someone better?
Some have cheekily suggested that Riley deserves another year, especially with the potential expansion of the playoff field to 24 teams—which some call the Lincoln Riley Act given his struggles with the Trojans.
There’s also pressure from across town, where coach Bob Chesney has unbeaten UCLA primed for a playoff run, managing to handle two teams that have already defeated the Trojans.
Meanwhile, Riley is citing a slew of upsets as a reason to believe there’s still something at stake this season.
“Many teams are losing, particularly on the road. The toughest ones who can rebound from losses are the ones who will ultimately succeed,” he said. “I have full confidence in our team that when we perform our best, we can compete with anyone.”
Enough with the excuses.
Hey, Lincoln, it’s late October, and your team still hasn’t beaten anyone significant. What do you have to say about that?
