Josh Pate Names Major College Football Coach Who is Facing Playoff or Bust Expectations

The USC Trojans are one of the true blue bloods in college football.

Their standard is based on decades of success, and to this point, Lincoln Riley has not lived up to that standard. When Riley was hired, it was thought to be a home run.

He went 55-10 in five years at Oklahoma, leading the Sooners to four conference titles and three College Football Playoff appearances. He then unexpectedly left Norman for Los Angeles and was given a 10-year $110 million contract.

Lincoln Riley's Tenure Has Been Up and Down

Things haven't been all bad. Riley went 11-3 in his first season as head coach and was on the doorstep of the College Football Playoff. That year, USC played for a Pac-12 championship, and star quarterback Caleb Williams won the Heisman Trophy.

Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Since that 11-3 season, Riley has gone 24-15. He has yet to get USC back to the success that he had in that first year. He also has yet to lead the Trojans to their first CFP appearance. However, he landed the No. 1 recruiting class in 2026, and he has said the Trojans' championship window is now open.

College Football Playoff Pressure Builds

Due to his success in recruiting and the pressure of coaching at a place like USC, which has led Josh Pate to reveal on his show, "Josh Pate's College Football Show," that 2026 is playoff-or-bust for Riley.

"We are (five) years in, and we have no playoff appearances," Pate said. "And at a place like USC, the (fifth) year is well past the line in the sand past which you can't be selling people on promise and hope and the future and optimism. You got to have results. That is a totally fair stance for anyone to have."

USC Can't Wait Anymore

USC is a private institution, so Riley's contract isn't public information. But his buyout is estimated to be over $70 million, making it one of the largest buyouts in the history of the sport. That will likely make it tough for the Trojans to move on from him if things don't improve.

With that being said, this is USC. This is a historic program. It's time the Trojans started acting like it and got back to contention. It's a shame they have never made a College Football Playoff appearance and haven't won a conference title since 2017.

Riley is a big reason why the team hasn't reached their goals.

Now the excuses are running out. Riley has his recruiting foundation in place, a roster loaded with talent and enough time to establish his culture. At a program with USC's history, Year 5 is about results, not potential.

If the Trojans finally break through and reach the CFP, Riley will validate the faith the administration showed when it handed him one of the richest contracts in college football.

If not, questions about where he was the right higher will grow louder.

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