From 2017 to 2021, the Oklahoma football program finished among the top ten in the College Football Playoff final rankings each season. Leading the way was head coach Lincoln Riley, who took over for Bob Stoops following his retirement in 2016. Riley posted an incredible 55-10 record in five seasons with the Sooners, including making the CFP three times. However, Riley gained criticism over the years for his lack of success on the biggest stage, posting a 1-3 bowl record during his tenure in Norman, Oklahoma. With Oklahoma’s announcement to the hyper-competitive SEC for the 2024 season, Riley departed the Sooners before the 2022 season in favor of the USC Trojans.
After an 11-3 inaugural season, the Trojans labored to an 8-5 record last season despite housing former Heisman Trophy Award winner Caleb Williams. On Tuesday, SEC media head Paul Finebaum believed USC’s struggles would continue into next fall, with Riley getting exposed in an early season matchup against the LSU Tigers.
Paul Finebaum: Critizes Former OU Coach Lincoln Riley
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On Tuesday, ESPN’s First Take welcomed college football insider Paul Finebaum onto the show with Week 0 rapidly approaching. Finebaum fielded several college football-related questions but ultimately made headlines for his disrespectful words towards the USC Trojans and head coach Lincoln Riley. Finebaum believes that USC will struggle to remain competitive in their season opener against the LSU Tigers.
"I fully expect Lincoln Riley to show what an average coach he is."@finebaum says USC will start to "unravel" Week 1 against LSU 😳 pic.twitter.com/uRnGzOzOm0
— First Take (@FirstTake) August 13, 2024
“I think that’s when it starts to unravel for Lincoln (Riley). You can’t get a more prominent, shining moment of the college football first weekend when you’re on that Sunday night, the entire world watching you. I fully expect Lincoln Riley to show what an average coach he is against, to me, a coach that can be elite at times, which is Brian Kelly of LSU. LSU is missing the Heisman Trophy winner from last year. They are missing some of the other key players, but I think that game will put people to sleep.”
Despite losing Heisman Trophy Winner Jayden Daniels to the NFL, Finebaum believes LSU will get the best of USC based on coaching alone. Kelly, the frontman for LSU since 2022, has won AP College Football Coach of the Year twice while owning an 8-5 bowl record. While with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from 2010 to 2021, Kelly went 0-2 in the College Football Playoff and lost his only BCS National Championship appearance. Similarly, Lincoln Riley went 0-3 in the CFP while with the Oklahoma football program from 2017 to 2021. He has yet to make a CFP appearance while with USC.
Lincoln Riley: Enters Third Year with USC
Former Oklahoma football bench boss Lincoln Riley will enter his third season with the USC Trojans this fall. Riley joined USC in 2022, with Fox Sports indicating he left Oklahoma on the heels of their departure to the SEC. Riley and USC went 11-3 in his first season, but a loss to the Utah Utes in the Pac-12 title game foiled any opportunity to make an appearance in the College Football Playoff. Nevertheless, Riley, known for his ability to coach quarterbacks, received a Heisman-winning campaign from gunslinger Caleb Williams.
Riley and Williams returned for the 2023 season, but USC went just 8-5 despite scoring north of 41 points per game. The defense largely struggled in his second season, allowing a near FBS worst 34.4 points per game. Defenses have long struggled under Riley’s tutelage.
Riley: Former Oklahoma Football Frontman
Before his tenure with the USC Trojans, Riley led the Oklahoma football team from 2017 to 2021. The successor to title-winning coach Bob Stoops, Riley and the Oklahoma Sooners went 12-2 in his inaugural season, including a berth to the College Football Playoff. Riley and Oklahoma returned to the CFP in the next two seasons but again failed to make it to the title game. In his three CFP appearances, Riley and the Sooners were outscored 162-110.
Albeit struggling to win in the CFP, Oklahoma housed two Heisman Trophy Award winners under Riley. Quarterback Baker Mayfield earned the recognition in 2017, while fellow passer Kyler Murray achieved the distinction the following season. Additionally, Murray and Mayfield each became the first overall pick in the subsequent NFL draft.
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