Fire Lincoln Riley? USC’s humiliating loss makes the question unavoidable
USA Today • • sports
Key Points:
- USC suffered a humiliating 24-7 loss to Wisconsin on the road, marking another disappointing Big Ten defeat in a pattern of underperformance in Central and Eastern time zone games.
- Quarterback Jayden Maiava struggled with two interceptions, the offense produced negative rushing yards, and special teams missed two field goals, highlighting multiple areas of weakness.
- Wisconsin dominated physically despite modest passing stats, rushing for 142 yards against a USC defense that failed to stop them, resulting in the largest margin of defeat for a ranked Lincoln Riley team against an unranked opponent.
- USC’s recent performances have been inconsistent and underwhelming, raising serious questions about Riley’s future as head coach, especially with tough upcoming games against Ohio State, Indiana, and UCLA.
- The loss to a struggling Wisconsin team, combined with UCLA’s undefeated record, intensifies pressure on USC to improve immediately or face potential coaching changes.
