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Paul Finebaum shreds Lincoln Riley, USC after latest loss: ‘This is a bad marriage’
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Paul Finebaum didn’t hold back when discussing Lincoln Riley and USC after the Trojans fell to 3-4 thanks to a late loss to Maryland, their third loss in a row.
“This is a bad marriage,” Finebaum said on his weekly appearance on “The Matt Barrie Show”. “I really felt in the offseason … that this thing was not going to work out. And then they win a game or two and you have to give them some credit. But the Big Ten is too big for SC. This is why Lincoln Riley bailed out on Oklahoma to go to the Pac-12.”
Finebaum predicted that the Trojans would pick up at least one more loss, but didn’t feel that any move in the USC head coach’s office was imminent. That said, the seat is hot. The Trojans were 11-3 in 2022, claiming a New Year’s 6 appearance and finishing ranked No. 12 as Caleb Williams won the Heisman Trophy.
Since then, they are 11-9. In 2024, they’re 1-4 in the B1G.
“I don’t think he’s going to lose his job, but I don’t really think he’s going to be long for this world out there, though,” he said. “Outside of that one good year with Caleb Williams, it’s been a bust. … I think it’s pretty evident where this is going to end. And it’s going to end at some point with him getting run out of there.”
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
