TCU Coach Sonny Dykes Speaks Candidly About Lincoln Riley

The No. 16 USC Trojans face off against the TCU Horned Frogs in the Alamo Bowl, looking to finish the season strong. TCU coach Sonny Dykes credited Lincoln Riley's coaching and USC's team as the two former Texas Tech assistants prepare to face off.

Oct 18, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs head coach Sonny Dykes on the sidelines against the Baylor Bears during the second half of a game at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The No. 16 USC Trojans, posting a 9-3 overall record, aim to finish their 2025 season strong as they’ll face off against the TCU Horned Frogs in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday. The Alamo Bowl matchup between the Trojans and Horned Frogs will bring back memorable coaching memories for USC’s Lincoln Riley and TCU’s Sonny Dykes, as the two former Texas Tech assistants face off.

Dykes and Riley were both on the former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach's coaching staff in the 2000s. Since then, the two have had a great respect for one another and what they’ve accomplished throughout their individual careers.

Nov 29, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs head coach Sonny Dykes walks off the field during the game between the Horned Frogs and the Bearcats at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

During Monday’s Valero Alamo Bowl head coaches' press conference, Dykes spoke about his admiration for Riley and the challenge of playing against USC presents for the Horned Frogs.    

What Sonny Dykes Said

Nov 8, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs head coach Sonny Dykes looks on before the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Playing USC, Lincoln Riley In Alamo Bowl:

“We’re excited to play against USC, another talented football team, had a tremendous year; they’ll be a big challenge, and as Lincoln said, we’ve known each other for a long time. It’s fun when you get a chance to play against the people that you admire, and the profession Lincoln obviously had an incredible career," Dykes said.

"Knew he was going to be really successful when I was around him when he was a young coach, really sharp guy, hard working, very mature, just knew he was going to be incredibly successful, and I know his team will be very well prepared tomorrow night, and we’re looking forward to the challenge,” Dykes continued. 

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Lincoln Riley's Coaching Strengths:

“You kind of saw it early on. One of Lincoln’s strengths is that he’s a good communicator. Coaching is teaching, and what we do is we teach young people, and we teach them how to play football and a lot of other stuff. He was always good at communicating; he had a really clear sense of how to talk to players and how to be able to make a point with somebody,” Dykes said.

How Coaching Under Mike Leach With Riley At Texas Tech Helped Them Grow:

Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley (right) talks with quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) in the second half against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“He gave us more of a responsibility than we deserved. He believed in us, he empowered us and gave us confidence, and he did the same thing for Lincoln. I always expected him to be really successful, and I saw the Alamo Bowl when he called the game. I remember watching the game, going ‘this guy’s getting ready to take off’,” Dykes said

“I’ll never forget I was coaching at Cal, and Bob Stoops called me and asked me about Lincoln, to say ‘what do you think about this guy,’ and I said ‘it’s a home run, you need to hire him if you get a chance to do it.’ Did a tremendous job as a coordinator there and as a head coach and launched just a fantastic career,” Dykes continued.  

USC enters the Alamo Bowl matchup currently as a 6.5-point favorite over TCU, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The Trojans aim to secure their second ten-win season under Riley and third straight bowl win with a victory over TCU. The kickoff for the Alamo Bowl matchup between USC and TCU is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. PT with the game broadcast on ESPN.

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