CBS Announces Lincoln Riley’s Fate as $90M USC Buyout Faces Test of Time

Lincoln Riley is skating on thin ice. If you ask how thin, then Paul Finebaum’s “I would have fired him last year if I didn’t have to eat an $80 million buyout” reply should satisfy your curiosity and tell you that this ain’t the rosy picture he enjoyed at Oklahoma. This is no cakewalk. Already his buyout has climbed to a whopping $90 million—the largest in CFB history. No doubt, it’s high-pressure for him in this make it or break it season. And amid the whole clamor, one analyst might just be rooting for him.

Lincoln was brought to Los Angeles with just one aim: to produce high-caliber teams. For a program with decorated 11 national championship wins, the fandom was hungry to seek past glory. He was a hit with the Sooners, but his record with the Trojans is what’s fueling the friction. Well, reeling back to last season, the Trojans registered a 7-6 campaign. And out of those 6 defeats, five of them were one-possession games. Close call. They had the lead in the fourth quarter, but one wrinkle here or there cost them. Cost them dearly. Undoubtedly, Riley is treading under immense pressure, but going into his fourth season, he is optimistic: “There’s growth in a climb happening right now.”

“Why are you feeling optimistic about this team being a sleeper this year? CBS Sports’ Hailey Sutton posed the question. “Because Lincoln Riley, probably for the first time since he got there, has everything in his house organized,” said Patterson. But ever since Riley took the reins, the Trojans’ record dropped every consecutive year, right? It did, but also look at the strength of the schedule! They squared off against Texas A&M, Notre Dame, playing the entirety of the Big 10. And the majority of losses? They had the lead in the fourth quarter, but fumbled by the end of it. So, edged out by a small margin.

“And if you’ve been through that process, it can be difficult. But when we spoke to Lincoln Riley at Big 10 Media Days, he told us on the Cover Three podcast that this is the first time that he feels like he’s really been able to get back to coaching ball,” Chip Patterson continued with his analysis. “That’s because he had to improve the strength and conditioning program, hiring Trumain Carroll. He had to improve the general manager position, the personnel department, getting Chad Bowden in there… But I think this is the year for the bounce back. So when you look at this schedule, there are difficult games at Notre Dame, at Oregon, yes. But I think that this USC team can go 10 and two.”

So, does that make sense? Look at Matt Rhule. That guy rebuilds programs from scratch, with his ‘third-year’s the charm’ playbook. And how does he do it? Consistency, persistence, and loyalty towards the program. And onboarding elite coaching staff. Didn’t he hire Dana Holgorsen to lead the offense? And that’s how Riley’s playing his playbook. He hired Rob Ryan and Chad Bowden. He got Trumain Caroll as the director of football strength and conditioning. He rehauled the coaching staff. His 2026 recruiting class tops the charts, and the future already seems bright.

It took time to repair the foundation cracks, which could have leaked the potential. So, will this be Lincoln Riley’s bounce-back era? But then again, the Trojans didn’t have a QB1 battle. Jayden Maiava will be the starter, the same QB whose inconsistent performance earned the critics’ ire. Does that mean USC does not have a stacked QB room?

Analyst exudes confidence in Jayden Maiava

Jayden Maiava has borne an equal share of the brunt of last season’s 7-6 campaign. His salvation? The Nebraska game is what fueled his momentum to get at it again, swinging down against the best defense in the country. Though it culminated in a loss, it was a victorious defeat. And he’s only gotten better, both as a player and as a leader. “They make me better. I try my best to make them better. it’s greatness requires greatness,” Maiava said.

“Sometimes, with the transfer portal, we judge by action,” said Patterson. “Sometimes I judge by inaction. And USC did not go to get a quarterback to compete with Jayden Maiava.” Husan Longstreet is another rising, favored QB on the block. But Maiava will be the one calling the shots this season. The reason? Improved performance, confidence, and his leadership role in the locker room. “That means the quarterback that they had starting at the end of the year, who went 3-1 as a starter, has given them confidence that he has continued to improve, continued to develop,” Patterson added.

Quarterbacks coach Luke Howard has been impressed by Maiava’s spring drills, and he is confident about the upcoming season. The way he’s been going about his business and the roster’s confidence in him have proved Maiava fit to lead the offense. So, are the Trojans a sleeper program this upcoming season? The anticipation is at an all-time high. Let’s see what this season holds for Lincoln Riley’s future.