Deion Sanders to the USC Trojans? CFB Analyst Pairs the 2 Major Brands in Bold Statement

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders is heading into his second season as a Division I, Power Five coach, yet college football analyst Paul Finebaum of ESPN is already pairing him with the USC Trojans.

Sanders, who coached the FCS Jackson State Tigers before coming to Colorado, skipped Group of Five FBS football to join a low-level Power Five team in the Buffaloes. The Trojans would be a huge step up into an echelon of college football that expects the most from their program.

Paul Finebaum thinks Deion Sanders and the USC Trojans would be a perfect match

In an article from The Spun, Finebaum says Sanders and the Trojans would be the perfect match.

“You put Prime in Tinseltown, and I think you have one of the great combinations in history … I think Deion Sanders as the coach at Southern Cal is the answer to the problems,” Finebaum said.

While it is easy to see why Finebaum makes the connection between a Hollywood team and what is arguably the most “camera-ready” head coach of the last two decades, he provides no source or basis as to why he believes this could happen in 2025.

USC Trojans are no stranger to the spotlight that Sanders would bring, but the expectations of such a storied program would provide a massive shift for the inexperienced Sanders. Sanders went 4-8 with the Buffaloes last year while the Trojans have only had two seasons since 1962 with under five wins.

Is USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley even on the hot seat?

A massive part of Finebaum’s bold statement assumes that the current Trojans head coach, Lincoln Riley, will by the time the 2024-2025 coaching carousel comes around.

While Finebaum has been vocal about his lack of belief in Riley’s ability to get it done as a big-time head coach, there is no indication that USC thinks the same way about their third-year HC. According to the same article from The Spun, Finebaum says he would’ve fired Riley already if he called the shots at USC.

“Had I been the athletic director at Southern Cal, I would have fired Lincoln Riley,” Finebaum said on First Take last Monday. “Because he’s yet to show — after many years as a head coach — he knows anything about defense.”

While it is true that Riley’s teams have always struggled on the defensive side of the ball, it is also true that there are only a few coaches who have proven they can win at the rate Riley does. His 8-5 2023 season with the Trojans was his worst season as a head coach and it was just the second time he failed to reach 10 wins.

Riley’s 74-18 overall record as a head coach since his first full year in 2017 compliments his three Heisman-winning quarterbacks. Riley holds the record for most quarterbacks coached who have been selected at No. 1 overall.

There is no doubt that Riley will not last too long if he continues to fail at getting USC to the postseason, but it is far from certain that he will be out at USC in 2025.

Fans have mixed reactions about a potential USC Trojans-Deion Sanders pairing

There were many mixed reactions about Finebaum’s bold statement that paired Sanders with the Trojans. Some agreed with Finebaum, saying the two are a perfect match.

Others claim Finebaum’s criticism of Riley is unwarranted and that Riley is doing far better than Sanders at the moment.

.@finebaum says Deion Sanders would be the perfect replacement for Lincoln Riley at USC 👀 pic.twitter.com/9HbqEYDG4u

— First Take (@FirstTake) July 22, 2024

People are taking flash over substance. As a head coach Lincoln Riley has won 11 or more games 4/6 seasons. He’s also produced 3 Heisman Trophy winning QBs. I watched a Prime-led team choke a 20+ point lead AT HOME against a 3-9 Stanford just last year. This is an absurd take.

— Bruce (@aslionn1) July 22, 2024

What is this dude talking about? Prime will have Colorado top 10 this season

— Real Sturdy 🧠👁✊🏽 (@KingSmoove009) July 22, 2024

Deion has said numerous times that he’s not leaving Colorado. Whether it’s true or not, just let that man coach Colorado.

— Rawdoggish 🐶 (@J_DriverIII) July 22, 2024

If USC wants to be contenders, they need to program kids and deep pockets to pay athletes to play there.

USC is not a national championship contender due to strength of conference.

— John Mark Spier (@JMarkSpier) July 23, 2024

Why are people still high on Dion? He can’t coach!

— Hutch Breithaupt (@hbriteup) July 22, 2024

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