Lincoln Riley ranked outside top five Big Ten football coaches

Lincoln Riley, head coach of USC, has been excluded from USA TODAY Sports' top five rankings of Big Ten football coaches. Since his acclaimed arrival in 2021, USC has struggled, especially from 2023 to 2025, with a disappointing record. Despite highlights including an 11-win season in 2022 and a strong recruiting class, Riley's performance has been criticized, leading to a fall from his previously esteemed status. Indiana's Curt Cignetti, Ryan Day of Ohio State, Dan Lanning of Oregon, Kirk Ferentz, and Kyle Whittingham are noted as the top five coaches in the current rankings, with Riley needing to prove his worth in the upcoming season.

• 2:53 PMYahoo Sports — USC's Lincoln Riley not ranked among top five Big Ten football coaches