USC football rumors: Lincoln Riley's $60 million buyout may not keep him safe from chopping block
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The USC football team enters a pivotal season in 2026, with Lincoln Riley as the head coach. Riley faces pressure to win this coming season. According to a Yahoo Sports report, Riley’s seat is warm right now.
“Riley kicked off things in LA with an 11-win campaign that included a Heisman Trophy winner. Four years later, he hasn’t replicated anything close to that season and folks are beginning to wonder if he’s the long-term solution to resurrect the Trojans,” the report stated.
Under Riley, USC has transitioned from a Pac-12 school to a Big Ten program. He has struggled in conference play recently.
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“He hasn’t finished better than fourth in the conference since 2022, has finished outside the final top 25 in two of his four seasons and has lost more league games in a four-season span (12) than USC lost in former coach Clay Helton’s first five years. There are no more excuses. He’s been given the resources and has a new general manager and defensive coordinator (Gary Patterson!). Without a playoff trip this year, AD Jen Cohen may finally pull the trigger despite the whopping buyout figure,” the outlet added.
Riley does have a huge buyout, which would play a role if USC athletic officials want to make a change. His buyout is about $60 million, according to the report.
In 2025, the Trojans finished the season with a 9-4 record. USC football won seven conference games in the Big Ten. Riley has coached at USC since the 2022 season.
Before coming to southern California, Riley was the head coach at Oklahoma. He had multiple seasons with at least 10 wins for the Sooners.
USC football kicks off the 2026 season against San Jose State. That game is scheduled for August 29.
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