We all hope USC and Lincoln Riley go 10-2 (or better) this season. However, if USC goes 9-3, will Riley be retained by the Trojans for 2027? We gave our answer to UCLA Wire:
“After a 3-9 season, UCLA’s expectations are modest but across town it’s quite the contrary. Riley has landed several elite recruiting classes with the Trojans but USC is still awaiting their first-ever. Trojans Wire writer Matt Zemek discussed what would be the repercussions if USC were to miss the CFP again in 2026:
“If USC goes 9-3, Lincoln Riley will likely get 2027. The spin will be that Riley and the program need one more recruiting cycle to fully stock the cupboard with championship-level depth and quality. It would be understandable and logical, but it wouldn’t sit well with a lot of fans who are rightly frustrated with the lack of elite performance. One thing to keep in mind is that USC didn’t play Indiana or Ohio State last season and went only 9-3. Now the schedule is tougher. USC could be a better team but still go 9-3. If he goes 8-4, it’s 50-50 as to whether he stays. It would come down to how tough USC played the big boys in the Big Ten. If he goes 7-5 or worse, he’s absolutely toast. There’s no way he can survive a mediocre season with the No. 1 recruiting class and all the investments made in the program.”
The difficulty of the Big Ten schedule is the main reason 9-3 will get Lincoln Riley another season at USC. Going 9-3 in 2025 was a huge failure precisely because that season’s schedule was a lot easier than this one. If Riley is worse than 9-3 this year, then he’s in real trouble.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: If Lincoln Riley is 9-3 at USC in 2026, will he be retained for 2027?
Reporting by Matt Zemek, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Matt Zemek, Trojans Wire | USA TODAY Network
