Overview
- Riley told reporters, “You guys know what I sacrificed to come here… I’m where I need to be,” after speculation linked him to LSU, Florida and other vacancies.
- USC improved to 7-2 and 5-1 in Big Ten play and sits No. 19 in the initial CFP rankings, with Iowa, Oregon and UCLA next on the schedule.
- The latest chatter traces to Josh Pate’s “keep an eye on Lincoln Riley at USC” remark on a podcast, which offered no concrete ties to a specific job.
- Riley’s 10-year, $110 million contract, strong NIL support and recruiting momentum are cited as reasons he may remain, with Urban Meyer saying he expects Riley to stay.
- Some analysts point to Riley’s 2021 denial before leaving Oklahoma as cause for skepticism, describing the situation as worth watching rather than settled.