USC head coach Lincoln Riley isn’t out of the woods yet, but Paul Finebaum sees a path where the pressure eases up fast.
Finebaum pointed to Riley as one of the coaches who could climb off the hot seat this season, and his reason starts and ends with quarterback Jayden Maiava.
“I would say Lincoln Riley’s got a chance this year. He’s got a great quarterback.
He still can never seem to win a big game.” Finebaum said on his Paul Finebaum Show.
That kind of hope comes with a catch. Riley’s track record at USC has not matched the buzz that followed him west.
He has gone 37-18 with the Trojans and still hasn’t reached the College Football Playoff. At Oklahoma, though, the story looked different: he took the Sooners to three playoff appearances.
Part of why USC hired Riley in the first place was the belief that he could keep stacking elite quarterbacks, and that remains his strongest calling card. Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Caleb Williams all got to the NFL after working under him, with Williams going first overall.
Now Maiava is the latest name in that pipeline. Riley brought him in through the transfer portal from UNLV, and the quarterback has kept improving every year. He’s also off to a hot start in 2026, which is exactly the kind of development USC needs if it’s going to change the conversation around its coach.
The Trojans’ path is not simple, though. Life in the Big Ten means grinding through programs like Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana, and the defense has to do enough to become at least an average unit.
If that side of the ball can hold up and Maiava keeps trending upward, USC could have the kind of season that changes the temperature around Riley in a hurry.
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Oklahomas Backfield Picture Changed Faster Than Sooners Fans Expected
Oklahomas backfield has already taken on a different shape after the season opener against UTEP, with transfer Lloyd Avant quickly moving into the lead role. The Colorado State import gave the Sooners a steadier presence than many expected heading into the year, while Xavier Robinson and freshman Jonathan Hatton Jr. were used sparingly as the staff sorted through options behind him.
Brent Venables also said Tory Blaylock could be back soon after sitting out Week 1 with a hamstring issue, which adds another layer to a rotation that still looks unsettled. For Oklahoma, the early takeaway is not just who carried the load in the opener, but how quickly that depth chart could keep shifting once the rest of the backs are fully available. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Gets O-Line Boost But One Worry Looms At Michigan
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The one concern hanging over the group is left tackle Michael Fasusi, whose shoulder injury left his status uncertain after he did not practice fully. Oklahoma is even weighing the possibility of holding him out not just for this game, but for the next one as well, a sign the staff is thinking beyond one matchup and toward the conference stretch that follows. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Nagys Latest OU Adds Could Matter More Than Fans Realize
Jim Nagys latest work for Oklahoma has been a little different from the usual transfer-hunt hustle. The Sooners landed four additions in Danny Saili, Braxton Fely, DYoni Hill and Jaydon Southard after each gained eligibility through temporary restraining orders against the NCAA, and the common thread in all four cases is that they were part of legal efforts seeking a fifth year on the field. For Oklahoma, the move was less about chasing headlines than identifying players who could fit what the program needs while adding depth in spots the staff had already kept open.
Nagy said the evaluation went beyond talent, with cultural fit part of the equation and the roster construction done with intent rather than impulse. The bigger question now is how quickly, or even whether, those newcomers will be pushed into action once they settle in with the Sooners. For a team that has been willing to be patient with its approach, the next step is seeing which of these late additions becomes more than just a name on the summer board. [Read more 🡒]