Lincoln Riley's Take on USC-Notre Dame Rivalry Raises Eyebrows -

Lincoln Riley’s Take on USC-Notre Dame Rivalry Raises Eyebrows

At his first Big Ten media day following Southern Cal’s controversial move to the conference, USC head coach Lincoln Riley was asked about the historic Notre Dame – USC rivalry. The move, primarily motivated by football, has puzzled many given its lack of alignment with other sports at the university. During his media session, Riley suggested he’d be open to dropping the Notre Dame rivalry if USC’s schedule became too challenging and impacted their national championship prospects.

When questioned about continuing the rivalry, Riley said, “I would love to. I know it means a lot to a lot of people. The purist in you, no doubt.” He then added, “But if you get in a position where you have to decide what’s best for USC to help us win a national championship versus keeping that, then you have to look at it.”

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Riley further remarked, “And listen, we’re not the first example of that. Look across the country. Many teams have sacrificed rivalry games. I’m not saying that’s what’s going to happen. But as we adapt to this Playoff structure, whether it changes or not, we’re in this new conference. We’re going to learn what the best track is to win a national championship, and that will evolve.”

This response hardly reflects a deep reverence for the rivalry’s history or appreciation for the program he represents. Riley’s history at Oklahoma, where he regularly led the Sooners to the Playoffs before abruptly leaving for USC, is a testament to his focus on easier paths to success. Oklahoma dominated a weaker Big-12 during Riley’s tenure, but with their impending move to the SEC and a tougher schedule, Riley opted for USC.

Ironically, Riley’s move to Southern Cal seemed to promise an easy path to the playoffs given the Pac-12’s relative weakness post-Pete Carroll. Yet, he has experienced significant setbacks, losing eight games in his first two seasons, including a disappointing 8-5 record last year despite having the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.

USC’s transition to the Big Ten now means contending with powerhouses like Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State, in addition to top programs from the old Pac-12. Given the move to a 12-team playoff, with potential further expansion, it’s telling that Riley is concerned about USC’s schedule being too tough to make the playoffs. In an expanded playoff field, traditional rivalries should be maintained since one or even two losses no longer drastically impact playoff chances.

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If Riley truly believes that keeping Notre Dame on the schedule jeopardizes USC’s chances of being a top-12 team, it doesn’t inspire confidence in his program or his coaching abilities. Riley might be wary after watching his team get thoroughly defeated at Notre Dame Stadium last year, 48-20.

The Notre Dame – USC rivalry is one of the most unique and storied in college football. The 2020 COVID scheduling break was a rare interruption in this historic matchup. The good news for Notre Dame fans is that Lincoln Riley might not stay at USC long enough to see the rivalry end. Given his abrupt departure from Oklahoma, it wouldn’t be surprising if Riley eventually leaves for the NFL if the opportunity arises. However, if he continues to average four losses a season, his tenure at USC might be shorter than expected.