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.
In Other News...
Maiava Just Gave USC Fans A Real Heisman Conversation
Week 1 gave USC exactly the kind of early jolt it needed, and Jayden Maiava was right in the middle of it. Among a slate of eye-catching opening performances around college football, his showing for the Trojans stood out enough to push his name into a much bigger conversation than just a strong start for one quarterback.
For USC fans, that matters because the Heisman race can feel like it starts before most seasons really settle in, and Maiava has at least put himself on the board. There is a long way to go, of course, and plenty of other early stars to compare him against, but after opening weekend he is no longer just part of the backdrop of the national conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Maiava Is Raising USCs Ceiling Faster Than Anyone Expected
Jayden Maiava has barely had time to settle into USCs offense, and already he looks like the kind of quarterback who can change the math around the Trojans season. Through the first two games, he has been sharp and decisive, and his performance against Fresno State was especially eye-opening, with 23 completions on 25 attempts for 349 yards and three touchdowns. Lincoln Riley has noticed, too, praising Maiavas understanding of the offense and the arm talent that makes the whole system look like it has another gear.
For USC, the encouraging part is not just the production, but how quickly it has arrived. FanDuel Sportsbook now lists Maiava with the 10th-best Heisman Trophy odds, a reflection of how fast his name has moved into the national conversation. The Trojans still have a long season ahead, but if this is the baseline, the bigger question is no longer whether Maiava can manage the job. It is how high he might push USC if this level keeps up. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Riley Is Building Something USC May Need On The Road
USC has found a little sideline theater to go with its early-season momentum, as Lincoln Riley and his players have rolled out oversized red juice box props to help symbolize the kind of energy they want to carry into games. It fits the mood around a team that has started 2-0 and has looked comfortable at home, where the Trojans have usually fed off the crowd and the moment.
Jayden Maiavas recognition only added to that feeling, after the quarterback was named Big Ten Player of the Week and picked up additional honors for his role in USCs shutout of Fresno State. The bigger question for Riley is whether that same juice box energy can travel, because the Trojans know the real test is turning these good vibes into something sturdier away from Los Angeles. [Read more 🡒]