In a season packed with change and scrutiny, Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans have quietly pulled off one of the more subtle off-field coups of the year. Landing Notre Dame transfer Kennedy Urlacher, son of Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher. The former Irish safety, now donning USC colors, signals more than just a roster move; it’s a symbol of the shifting tides in the once-ironclad USC–Notre Dame rivalry. And with the Trojans riding a two-game losing streak in the series, and their Pac-12 farewell tour turning bumpy, there’s far more at play than just bragging rights this year.

For longtime fans of this storied matchup, the chill in the air isn’t just autumn—it’s strategic scheduling. Chris Petersen joined Colin Cowherd on CFB ON FOX and didn’t mince words when asked about the potential end to the annual late-season clash. “We’ll play Notre Dame occasionally early in the season. We don’t want to have an annual November game. And I defend blowing up that rivalry,” Cowherd said. Petersen, ever the balanced voice, empathized with USC’s logic but didn’t hold back on the broader implication.

“I get 100% where the Trojans are coming from. Now, do I like that for the greater good of football? Absolutely not. No one does that loves college football,” he said. “That’s one of the most historic rivalries in all of college football. So it’s like, wait, what? What are you doing?”

But Petersen wasn’t done. He got to the heart of the matter with a surgical strike of truth: “It is about getting to the College Football Playoffs.” In the age of selection committees and ever-tightening windows to make postseason noise, Riley’s decision isn’t emotional—it’s clinical. “And I actually like the selection committee. I kind of like that subjectivity,” Petersen added. Translation? Style points matter. And if a late-season bruiser like Notre Dame complicates the win-loss column, it’s no longer worth the nostalgia.

Urban Meyer. The former Ohio State coach and longtime standard-bearer of elite CFB success didn’t hold back when he appeared on The Herd with Cowherd earlier. The hammer was poised, and Meyer swung. Cowherd said, “I saw the over/under on USC, 7.5 games, and I think that’s accurate. Their best player is a safety. I think they’re very, very young, an 8-win team. At some point, when’s the hammer come down?” Meyer didn’t blink: “When seven or eight wins is acceptable at USC, that’s when I don’t know. I don’t agree with that.”

The quote rang across message boards and fan circles like a warning bell. Meyer, who once ruled the Big Ten with an iron fist, clearly still sees USC as a blueblood—one that should never accept mediocrity, even in transition. Riley’s made his bed, and now the path forward includes avoiding landmines in a Big Ten schedule loaded with uphill climbs.

The Irish matchup this October is more than a midseason headline—it’s a potential resurrection. A win over Notre Dame could shift momentum ahead of daunting showdowns with Oregon and rival UCLA. It’s not just about rivalry optics anymore.

$90 million question: Can Lincoln Riley turn the tide in 2025?

If Lincoln Riley’s seat wasn’t warm before, Joel Klatt just added a little flame under it. On The Joel Klatt Show, another FOX analyst didn’t sugarcoat the situation heading into 2025: “Lincoln Riley is firmly in the category of is this going to work?” That’s not just commentary—that’s a full-blown temperature check on USC’s most expensive project.

After a flashy start in L.A., things have fizzled. “Last year was incredibly underwhelming,” Klatt noted. “Riley’s tenure started off gangbusters. But he’s coming off these two underwhelming seasons. I will say, they had a good finish last year. I do think there are some things to get excited about.” A little optimism, sure—but the expectations at USC don’t leave much room for ‘almosts.’

And 2025 doesn’t offer any layups. Klatt pointed to the road game at Illinois in September as an early litmus test. That’s followed by heavyweight clashes at Michigan, at Notre Dame, and at Nebraska. If Riley doesn’t deliver in those, things could spiral fast.

Here’s the kicker: Riley’s buyout reportedly sits at a jaw-dropping $90 million. That’s a steep price for “underwhelming,” and USC knows it. The Trojans didn’t pay nine figures to finish middle of the Big Ten.