The price to move on from Lincoln Riley would be massive for USC. Apparently, that doesn’t mean it is off the table.
Riley’s future with the Trojans has become a serious question following Saturday’s 41-27 home loss to Oregon, a defeat that dropped USC to 4-1 and added another ranked loss to a growing list under its fifth-year coach.
The number hanging over any potential coaching change is believed to be roughly $70 million. But that enormous buyout may not provide Riley the protection it once appeared to.
USC May Not Let $70 Million Stop Lincoln Riley Move
CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported Monday that industry sources have indicated USC could still part ways with Riley depending on how the rest of the season unfolds.
“A buyout of roughly $70 million would be prohibitive for almost any program,” Zenitz wrote. “Industry sources nevertheless caution against assuming it rules out a change at USC, a private institution with deep-pocketed supporters. No decision has been made, and Riley’s future will depend on what the Trojans do from here.”
Still, the pressure is difficult to miss. FOX Sports’ RJ Young pointed directly at the price USC is paying compared with what Riley has delivered through four full seasons.
“Lincoln Riley’s buyout at USC is $70 million. He’s managed zero championships, zero CFP selections in four seasons. His salary is reportedly nearly $12 million annually,” Young wrote on X.
USC’s latest federal tax records back up the salary figure. The Los Angeles Times’ Ryan Kartje reported in June that Riley received more than $11.8 million in total compensation during the 2024 fiscal year, including $10.4 million in base pay and a $100,000 bonus.
The on-field return remains the larger issue.
Riley is now 39-19 through 58 games at USC, the same record former Trojans coach Clay Helton had through his first 58 games. Riley, however, is 5-15 against ranked opponents at USC and has yet to take the Trojans to the College Football Playoff.
Lincoln Riley Pressure Builds After USC’s Oregon Loss
The Oregon loss only accelerated the conversation because USC had a chance to change the narrative.
The Trojans were tied with the Ducks in the fourth quarter, even after Oregon quarterback Dante Moore left with an injury. Backup Dylan Raiola then helped Oregon pull away for a two-touchdown win.
Sports commentator Arash Markazi called it a defining loss for Riley almost immediately afterward.
“I know it’s just Sept. 26 but there’s a certain finality you feel as Lincoln Riley walks off the field. That was a must-win game for him. USC didn’t just lose, they lost by two touchdowns in a game tied in the 4th quarter. Embarrassing. He has lost the fanbase and all boosters,” Markazi wrote on X.
FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd went after the culture around Riley’s program, too.
“USC’s program is a little too casual, a little too sophomoric, a little too high school. You think Curt Cignetti at Indiana’s sideline would’ve looked like that? No,” Cowherd said.
Riley still has time to change the direction of the season, and USC still has major opportunities ahead. But the idea that a $70 million buyout alone would keep the school from making a move is suddenly looking much less certain.
For Riley, the rest of 2026 may now be less about chasing a championship than proving USC shouldn’t be willing to pay an extraordinary price to start over.
USC Gets Major $70 Million Lincoln Riley Update After Oregon Loss