Urban Meyer isn’t exactly easing the pressure on Lincoln Riley this week.
With No. 20 Oregon set to face No.
12 USC on Saturday, the former Ohio State coach said the matchup has moved into must-win territory for Riley. USC entered the year at 4-0, but Meyer made it clear that kind of start won’t mean much if the Trojans can’t handle this one.
When USC hired Riley in November 2021, the expectation in California was that he would steer the program back toward its glory days. Instead, after an 11-3 first season, he has not gotten the Trojans back to double-digit wins. Meyer pointed to that backdrop while laying out why this game matters so much.
“You got some tough ones coming up for USC now. They have Ohio State and Indiana.
This is one of those ones, and every coach at some point has to have a signature [win]. This is not the Oregon team we thought we’d see this year.
This is low-hanging fruit for USC,” Meyer said. “I hate to say it but I think this is one of those games for Lincoln Riley that he has to win.”
Riley, for his part, didn’t dodge the stakes. Speaking to the media earlier this week, he said he understands exactly what’s attached to Saturday’s game.
“This game should have a lot riding on it and be important,” Riley said, via OregonLive.com. “It’s important to the fanbases and it’s important to college football.
I think it’s exactly what it should be and we’re excited about it. Our guys are excited to play.”
If USC is going to leave Saturday with a win over Oregon, the Trojans will need star quarterback Jayden Maiava to play to his potential.
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The hit that sent Oregon quarterback Dante Moore to the hospital during USCs game against Oregon has put Desman Stephens and the Trojans in the middle of an ugly moment that has lingered well beyond the final whistle. Stephens celebrated after the collision and showed no remorse, and the reaction was swift, with calls growing for USC to suspend or dismiss him from the football program.
Lincoln Riley now faces the kind of decision that reaches beyond one player and into the standards of the program itself. The episode has sharpened questions about accountability and the culture around USC football, because this is no longer just about a controversial play, but about what the Trojans are willing to tolerate when the spotlight turns harsh. [Read more 🡒]