"I think it's over for Lincoln Riley": CFB analyst Paul Finebaum foresees dramatic downfall at USC with tough season ahead

Ahead of the 2024 college football season, Paul Finebaum doesn't see light at the end of the tunnel for Lincoln Riley. The veteran ESPN analyst sees another unsuccessful season for USC as the Trojans transition to the Big Ten in the upcoming college football season.

Riley made a name for himself in the vibrant tapestry of college football with a successful coaching tenure at Oklahoma. He was considered one of the fastest-rising coaches, as the Sooners won four straight Big 12 championships under his leadership.

Riley transitioned to USC in 2022 which hasn't come without its challenges. While he led the Trojans to the Pac-12 championship game in his first season, the team had an abysmal outing in the 2023 season, at least by Riley's standards, ending with an 8-5 record.

Paul Finebaum recently said (via Sports Illustrated):

"Bruce Feldman said a minute ago that he thought they are looking at about seven wins, which is pretty dangerous when you are the USC coach and you have two back-to-back bad seasons. I mean, I think it's over for Lincoln Riley, anyway. To me, he's lost control. And once you lose control, you're like in the middle of quicksand.”

What does the schedule look like for Lincoln Riley’s USC in 2024?

With a move to the Big Ten, USC is preparing for a tougher challenge in the upcoming 2024 college football season. The Trojans have a pretty tough schedule next season as they begin life in the Big Ten, and that could have a lot of say in Lincoln Riley’s future.

USC opens the upcoming season with a home game against LSU and plays Utah State at home the following week. Coming off a bye week, the Trojans will play their first-ever game in the Big Ten on the road against defending national champion Michigan at the Big House.

Lincoln Riley's team will also have to come up against Wisconsin, Minnesota, Penn State, and Maryland in subsequent weeks. They then go on to play Rutgers, Washington, Nebraska, and UCLA before ending the season with a non-conference tie against Notre Dame.

It remains to be seen how USC will navigate this tough schedule in the 2024 season. Considering his previous exploits in the college football landscape, Riley can pull out something great in the Big Ten next season. However, this won’t be easy, considering the levels of his opposition in the new league.