USC athletic director Jennifer Cohen and the whole Trojan brass might be eyeing that rumored $70 million buyout for Lincoln Riley in 2027, but let’s be real: If it were up to us, he’d be gone tomorrow. This isn’t just about a few bad games; it’s about a colossal failure to deliver, especially after that brutal loss to Indiana. The political winds might be blowing toward keeping Riley to avoid eating all those dollars, but we think it’s time to swallow hard and make the tough call.
The Big Ten Was Seriously Weak, and USC Still Blew It
Let’s just be honest: the Big Ten was nowhere near “good” in 2026. This isn’t even up for debate. Ohio State and Oregon both racked up three losses well before the regular season wrapped. Michigan was flat-out bad, and Penn State wasn’t much better. Even Indiana, despite only having one loss, is clearly inferior to their 2025 squad. UCLA is somehow leading the conference with a backup quarterback and an offense that’s just “modest.” There are no great teams in this conference, period. So, for USC to miss the College Football Playoff in a year when the Big Ten was this weak? That’s not just a statistic, that’s a massive, glaring failure that goes way beyond anything the numbers can tell you.
Lincoln Riley Wasted the Easiest Schedule Luck Imaginable
If you think USC “came close” to the playoff or the Big Ten title game this year, you need to wake up and smell the coffee. This team had incredible injury luck at quarterback among their opponents and still couldn’t cash it in. Dante Moore, Julian Sayin, Josh Hoover, and Nico Iamaleava all got hurt this year. USC literally faced backup quarterbacks against Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana, and even UCLA, who they still have coming up. The Trojans had the absolute best fortune when it came to facing limited offenses without their star players at the most crucial position on the field. Lincoln Riley completely failed to take advantage of this massive gift.
Losses That Look Worse and Worse By The Day
Remember that loss to Wisconsin? It looks a million times worse now. The Badgers then got completely blown out by Iowa and lost to Maryland in the weeks that followed. That 17-point loss was a disgrace then, and it haunts USC even more now. And what about that Oregon game? Dan Lanning fired his offensive coordinator, Drew Mehringer, mid-season because the Ducks’ offense was tanking. Never forget that USC allowed 41 points to a Mehringer-led offense earlier this season. That result also screams louder and worse now than it did at the time. USC didn’t lose to “Prime Oregon.” They lost to a mediocre, struggling version of the Ducks.
Even in the recent loss to Indiana, the Hoosiers did everything they could to keep USC in the game. They missed a field goal, threw an interception, committed a penalty that wiped out a touchdown, and played a ridiculously sloppy game. Yet, the Trojans themselves dropped four different interceptions and missed two field goals, while Jayden Maiava was absolutely drowning in a sea of turnovers. USC didn’t face some elite Indiana squad. The Hoosiers practically spent the first two and a half quarters handing the Trojans opportunities, and Riley’s team still couldn’t close it out.
So yeah, USC might be stuck with Riley thanks to the cash, but what does that really say about the program’s future? They couldn’t win when the Big Ten was down, when opposing QBs were sidelined, and even when opponents practically handed them the game. That’s not just bad luck; that’s a coaching problem.
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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