"Don't ever see Lincoln Riley winning a championship" - Skip Bayless delivers eye-catching verdict on USC's Achilles' heel

USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley entered the season as one of the coaches on college football's hot seats after a disappointing 8-5 record last season. The 29-28 loss to the Maryland Terrapins in Week 8 of college football action has seen calls for the coach to be fired spreading through the Trojans fanbase.

During a Thursday episode of "The Skip Bayless Show," the outspoken Skip Bayless gave his prediction about Riley ever winning a national championship as a coach.

"I kept trying to tell all my USC friends, I kept saying publicly again and again and then I kept telling my man Keyshawn Johnson, once the biggest star at USC, 'Stinking Lincoln is all offense and forget about defense, just forget about it,'" Bayless said. "So no, I don't ever see Lincoln Riley winning a championship as a head coach."

Paul Finebaum predicted Lincoln Riley's downfall

Even before the season began, ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum was down on coach Riley and any chance that he had of turning around his USC Trojans career.

During a July episode of ESPN's "First Take," Finebaum issued a no-holds-barred breakdown of Riley's USC tenure and stated that the Trojans made a mistake not firing him after last season's 8-5 record. Finebaum even suggested that Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders would be the ideal replacement for Riley at USC.

“I fully expect Lincoln Riley to show what an average coach he is against, to me a coach who can be elite at times, in Brian Kelly of LSU," Finebaum said.

"I don’t think Lincoln Riley is that dynamic personality that can keep everybody bought in. It feels like the train’s already left the station. … Last year was so bad, and with this new schedule, I don’t see it getting any better.”

During an appearance on "McElroy & Cubelic in the Morning," Finebaum further predicted that Riley would not last in Southern California rubbishing his reputation as an elite coach.

“If you look at the reality, the number of players bailing on Lincoln Riley in Southern California is startling,” said Finebaum. “I always thought he was a really good coach. Especially on the offensive side. But I don’t think anyone today views him in that same realm. Quite frankly, I think he’ll be out of Southern California at the end of the season."

Paul Finebaum was adamant during the preseason that the USC Trojans under coach Riley would not thrive this season. With three losses already, it seems as if another average season beckons for the Trojans.