Lincoln Riley Faces Must-Win USC Showdown With Ohio State

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Lincoln Riley Faces Mounting Pressure Ahead of USC’s Game Against Ohio State

There is a lot of pressure on Lincoln Riley in year five at USC. He has yet to take the team to the playoffs or win a conference title, and his comments at a recent press conference did little to ease the criticism.

Riley said, “I love it here. Like I’ve told you guys a lot of times, there’s not many people in college football history that gave up what I gave up to come here.” He added that his decision should never be taken lightly, saying he came to USC because he believed in the program and that nothing had changed.

The problem is that USC’s fans do not care what Riley gave up to take the job. They expect results because of the program’s recruiting base, fan base, money, history and alumni support. Riley can believe in USC, but the question is whether USC still believes in him.

Bob Chesney is also creating more pressure in the same city. In his first year, he has an undefeated team ranked in the top 10. USC’s rival is finding success more quickly, making Riley’s lack of championships and playoff appearances even harder to defend.

Riley’s comments sounded like he was telling USC fans they were lucky to have him. His résumé at the school does not support that message. He is in the position once held by Pete Carroll, at a program that expects championships.

USC does have reasons for optimism. Maeva has played well after coming from UNLV, and several talented freshmen are beginning to emerge. Riley returned to an old-school recruiting approach, and those young players are starting to perform.

Even so, Riley needs to beat Ohio State. USC is at home, coming off a bye, while the Buckeyes will have a backup quarterback making his first road start. The Coliseum will be full for a sold-out night game, giving Riley and the Trojans every opportunity to win.

A loss would intensify questions about Riley’s future. He has a significant buyout, but USC has the alumni and financial support to make a change if necessary. The school may not like writing that check, but it can do so if it believes a mistake must be corrected.

It feels like Riley is coaching for his job against Ohio State, especially because USC’s schedule does not get easier. After Ohio State, the Trojans travel to Indiana and later finish the year on the road against UCLA. USC is currently 6-2, and a 7-5 finish could bring Riley’s tenure to an end.