Lincoln Riley's USC future in doubt after Oregon loss despite roughly $70 million buyout, sources say

Sources say USC could part ways with Riley depending on how the Trojans finish his fifth season, even with a buyout believed to be around $70 million

Sep 28, 2026 at 1:24 pm ET • 1 min read

Lincoln Riley's job security at USC is becoming a serious question after Saturday's 41-27 home loss to Oregon. Despite a buyout believed to be around $70 million, industry sources have told CBS Sports since the game that the Trojans could part ways with Riley depending on how the rest of the season unfolds.

The loss was another missed chance for Riley to show that USC can beat the teams it expects to compete with for championships. The Trojans were tied with Oregon in the fourth quarter, even after Ducks quarterback Dante Moore left the game with an injury. Oregon pulled away behind backup Dylan Raiola, handing Riley his third loss in three meetings with the Ducks.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning delivered a pointed comparison between the programs at the end of his postgame press conference.

"Three wins against these guys," Lanning said. "I guess if you're interested in winning football games and you're from this area, you should go to Oregon. If you want to go to a Chris Brown concert, you should go here." 

The remark did not go unnoticed by influential people associated with USC. It came after a game already clouded by linebacker Desman Stephens II's hit on Moore, for which USC subsequently suspended Stephens one game. 

The larger concern for Riley is the gap between USC's investment and its results. People associated with the program expect the Trojans to contend for national championships and the investment matches those expectations: USC's No. 1 2025 signing class is already making waves on a roster that is one of the sport's 12 most expensive. The reality, though, is stark: USC averaged five losses per season over the three years preceding 2026 and Riley is now 5-15 against ranked opponents at USC.

A buyout of roughly $70 million would be prohibitive for almost any program. Industry sources nevertheless caution against assuming it rules out a change at USC, a private institution with deep-pocketed supporters. No decision has been made, and Riley's future will depend on what the Trojans do from here.

That leaves little room for the familiar pattern of competitive losses against top opponents. USC still has three ranked teams on its regular-season schedule, along with potentially difficult matchups against Washington and Penn State. Riley has time to change the trajectory of his fifth season, but Saturday's loss made the stakes of doing so considerably higher.