USC holds off Washington amid ongoing scrutiny of Lincoln Riley's coaching
4 sources • 1 min read • Latest: Oct 4, 2026, 4:56 AM
Last updated Oct 4, 2026
USC narrowly defeated Washington 25-21 on Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The win keeps coach Lincoln Riley's job speculation alive after a prior loss to Oregon. The Trojans allowed Washington to lead 21-10 before mounting a comeback. Despite the victory, concerns about USC's performance and Riley's future remain prominent as they face challenging upcoming games, including a road trip to Penn State next week.
- •USC improves to 5-1, 2-1 Big Ten after the win.
- •Quarterback Jayden Maiava completed 21 of 34 passes for 245 yards.
- •USC faces a tough schedule ahead, including games against Penn State and Ohio State.
- •Riley's future remains uncertain despite the victory over an underperforming Washington team.
- •The Trojans' defense showed signs of improvement, allowing 319 total yards.
- 4:56 AMYahoo Sports — Social media unhappy with Lincoln Riley despite USC beating Washington
- 4:23 AMYahoo Sports — USC football wins, but shaky performance doesn't quiet noise around Lincoln Riley
- 4:11 AMYahoo Sports — USC's narrow win over Washington will not silence Lincoln Riley's critics
- 3:57 AMYahoo Sports — Lincoln Riley fails to give USC fans confidence for future | Opinion
"USC's win over Washington was so ugly and unconvincing that Trojan fans rightly became more upset at Lincoln Riley. This was not a good night
"The positive? USC won. The negative? It wasn't a good win, and the criticism surrounding Lincoln Riley and the Trojans only gets louder.
"Despite the Trojans defeating Washington, USC fans were far from happy with the Trojans’ head coach
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsOct 4, 2026, 4:56 AMSocial media unhappy with Lincoln Riley despite USC beating Washington
Despite the Trojans defeating Washington, USC fans were far from happy with the Trojans’ head coach
- Yahoo SportsOct 4, 2026, 4:23 AMUSC football wins, but shaky performance doesn't quiet noise around Lincoln Riley
The positive? USC won. The negative? It wasn't a good win, and the criticism surrounding Lincoln Riley and the Trojans only gets louder.
- Yahoo SportsOct 4, 2026, 4:11 AMUSC's narrow win over Washington will not silence Lincoln Riley's critics
Lincoln Riley remains on the hot seat in his fifth year at USC.
- Yahoo SportsOct 4, 2026, 3:57 AMLincoln Riley fails to give USC fans confidence for future | Opinion
USC's win over Washington was so ugly and unconvincing that Trojan fans rightly became more upset at Lincoln Riley. This was not a good night
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