Lincoln Riley keeps saying he’s all in at USC, but the heat on his future is getting impossible to ignore. Even with the Trojans putting together a decent season, they are nowhere near the national championship contender status everyone expected when Riley arrived, and a coaching change in 2027 is looking more and more likely. Industry sources are even telling CBS Sports that USC could be rolling with a new head coach as early as next season.
The Pressure Cooker Is On After Tough Losses
This speculation isn’t just popping up out of nowhere. It blew up after the Trojans got absolutely rocked, losing 24-7 to Wisconsin last week. That L dropped them to 6-2 and kicked them right out of the rankings. Riley arrived in Los Angeles with so much hype, supposed to instantly lift USC back into college football’s elite. But so far, the program hasn’t locked in as that national championship threat under his watch. Now, USC is staring down No. 2 Ohio State at the Coliseum on Saturday. It’s a huge shot for Riley to show his team can actually hang with the nation’s best.
Money, Buyouts, and Exit Strategies
Here’s where it gets even more complicated: that massive $70 million buyout attached to Riley’s contract. That’s a serious chunk of change to just eat. CBS Sports has even brought up the idea of Riley looking for another gig, maybe like the recently vacated Baylor job. If that happened, it could actually give both sides a pretty clean exit strategy. Plus, athletic director Jen Cohen wasn’t the one who hired Riley in the first place, which just adds another layer to all the uncertainty swirling around their combined future.
USC still has a chance to flip this script, and beating Ohio State would be a massive shot in the arm. But let’s be real, one win isn’t gonna erase all the bigger questions about where this program is actually headed. If the Trojans finish another season without making a real push for the College Football Playoff, the pressure to make a coaching change is only going to skyrocket.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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