Why Lincoln Riley's Coaching Record is a Concern For USC Trojans

The No. 21 USC Trojans and coach Lincoln Riley lost to another ranked team on Saturday, falling 34-32 to the No. 23 Illinois Fighting Illini. Riley's coaching record compared to a former Trojans coach has many fans concerned heading into the bye week.

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Missouri State Bears in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The No. 21 USC Trojans suffered their first loss of the season on Saturday, falling 34-32 to the No. 23 Illinois Fighting Illini on a walk-off game-winning field goal.

Several factors contributed to USC's first loss of the season, with many placing the blame on Trojans coach Lincoln Riley, as Riley and the Trojans fell to a ranked team again.

Lincoln Riley's Concerning Coaching Record

Sep 27, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley talks with players during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

BruinReport's David Woods pointed out a rather concerning stat regarding Riley and his tenure in Southern California.

Saturday's game against Illinois was Riley's 45th game as coach of USC. With the loss to the Fighting Illini, Riley's record as USC's coach over the last four seasons falls to 30-15. His record through 45 games compared to former USC coach Clay Helton, who the Trojans fired in 2021, is a cause for concern. Helton has a better record than Riley through his 45 games, going 31-14 in that span.

Lincoln Riley: 30-15 through his first 45 games as the USC head coach.

Clay Helton: 31-14 through his first 45 games as the USC head coach.

— David Woods (@daviddavidwoods) September 27, 2025

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Entering Saturday's game against Illinois, Riley and USC had the opportunity to earn a statement win on the road over a ranked team and move to 5-0 on the season. The game ended the way several USC games have ended against ranked teams over the last few years, with a loss.

USC's Recent Struggles of Beating Ranked Teams Under Riley

Sep 27, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) scrambles with the ball during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Winning against a ranked team, especially on the road, is a hurdle that Riley has struggled to cross, and USC fans have every right to be concerned, especially when comparing his coaching record to his predecessor.

USC beat No. 13 LSU in the season opener in 2024, but the Trojans have overall struggled against ranked teams.

In 2022, USC upset Notre Dame and finished that season with an 11-3 record, which included a loss to Tulane in the Cotton Bowl and falling short of a spot in the College Football Playoff with quarterback Caleb Williams after losing to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship. Since then, USC hasn't reached the same success under Riley, even with the move to the Big Ten.

Riley Under Pressure Entering Next Two Games

Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Michigan State Spartans during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

USC's next two games after the bye week are against current ranked teams, including No. 19 Michigan at home and No. 22 Notre Dame on the road.

The result of those two games will define how USC finishes in its fourth season under Riley. An 0-2 record in those games could put Riley on the hot seat and take the Trojans out of the running for a spot in the 12-team playoff.

As the Trojans enter the bye week, the most important thing as they prepare to play Michigan at home is getting healthy on the offensive line and in the secondary. USC was without starting left tackle Elijah Paige, and center Killian O'Connor suffered an injury in the second quarter against Illinois and didn't return. In the secondary, USC was without Kamari Ramsey, Prophet Brown, and Alex Graham.

USC's offense, despite the loss, still looked impressive, especially the quarterback-wide receiver connection of Jayden Maiva and Makai Lemon. The key for USC is better defense if they hope to beat a ranked opponent, especially on the road.