Coaching Salary Ranking Puts Pressure on Lincoln Riley, USC

In the current age of college athletics, the compensation for coaches, especially at the Division 1 level, has started to become a major topic of discussion.

Across the country, several coaches have started to make a significant amount of money, and USC Trojans’ coach Lincoln Riley is no different.

USC Trojans Coach Lincoln Riley Highest Paid Coaches In The Country Big Ten College Football Season Tough Schedule — Dec 30, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the TCU Horned Frogs in the first half during the Alamo Bowl at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Lincoln Riley’s USC Contract

Heading into 2026, there is no publicly known figure for Riley’s salary, but according to On3, Riley is projected to make $11.5 million before bonuses next season.

With this projection of Riley’s salary, he is tied for sixth in the country with Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, which is an interesting place to be for Riley. Over the past few seasons, both Riley and Swinney have struggled to find success at the highest level of college football.

Riley specifically has struggled to put together wins against some of the top-ranked teams in the country. In 2025, the Trojans had plenty of opportunities to beat ranked competition, but in many cases, USC was unable to do so.

In USC’s 2025 campaign, the Trojans failed to pick up road wins against Illinois, Notre Dame, and Oregon. In all three of these games, USC had an opportunity to stay competitive and potentially steal a victory, but in the end, the Trojans were unable to do so.

Heading into the 2026 season, the schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Trojans. Next season, USC is set to take on Oregon, Washington, and Ohio State at home in addition to Penn State, Wisconsin, and Indiana on the road.

For Riley, it seems that the pressure continues to ramp up to qualify for the College Football Playoff and make a deep run at a national championship. However, to do that, Riley has to find a way to win these tough matchups against some of the best coaches in the country.

Lincoln Riley's Coaching Competition

With Riley tied for sixth on the list for coaching salaries in 2026, he ranks ahead of several coaches who could very well be some of the best in the country.

The coaches ranked below Riley in terms of 2026 salary include Texas’s Steve Sarkisian, who is set to make $11.05 million, Texas A&M’s Mike Elko, who is projected to make $10.75 million, and Oregon’s Dan Lanning, who is set to make $10.6 million.

For Riley, one of the biggest criticisms in recent years has been his inability to make the College Football Playoff, which is why his ranking ahead of Sarkisian, Elko, and Lanning may seem a bit controversial for many college football fans.

However, next season, Riley does once again have the opportunity to prove that he can coach with the top coaches in college football, with the tough schedule that the Trojans have. Specifically, the matchups with Oregon and Ohio State are two games that could go a long way in determining the season.

To beat teams like the Ducks and Buckeyes, Riley must do his best to have his team prepared and, in a way, outcoach Lanning in addition to Ohio State’s Ryan Day, who actually ranks quite high on the coaching compensation list as he makes $12.5 million and is tied for fourth.

Regardless of how Riley performs for the rest of the season, the way that USC plays and he coaches during the matchups with Oregon and Ohio State are two factors that will go a long way in measuring the Trojans’ success for 2026.

Lincoln Riley’s Key To Big Ten Success

With several tough games on the schedule, Riley needs a great performance from his roster overall, but specifically from his quarterback, Jayden Maiava.

During his 2025 campaign, Maiava recorded 3,711 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while completing 65.8 percent of his passes. Maiava also adds another element to the ground game after totaling 157 yards and six touchdowns.

In the 2026 season, Maiava will have plenty of opportunities to compete against some of the better quarterbacks in the Big Ten, including Oregon’s Dante Moore and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin. Maiava’s performance against Moore and Sayin will go a long way in determining if USC can not only win the matchups with the Ducks and Buckeyes, but also if they can win the Big Ten.

Heading into 2026, the duo of Riley and Maiava will be one to watch to see if USC can finally qualify for the College Football Playoff and potentially compete for a Big Ten title.

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