Lincoln Riley under pressure after USC falls to unranked Wisconsin

The University of Southern California football team suffered a 24-7 loss to unranked Wisconsin, CBS Sports and the New York Post reported. The defeat jeopardizes the 16th-ranked Trojans' prospects for reaching the College Football Playoff, according to Fox News and the New York Post. [1][3][4]

USC managed only one touchdown drive in the second quarter, according to CBS Sports. The Trojans' offense recorded minus-17 rushing yards on 25 carries, CBS Sports reported. Starting quarterback Jayden Maiava threw two interceptions in the first quarter, and the special teams unit missed two consecutive second-half field goals, according to the New York Post. [3][4][7]

The loss continues a pattern of road struggles under head coach Lincoln Riley, Fox News reported. During the 2025 regular season, USC posted a 9-3 record with all three losses occurring away from home against Illinois, Oregon, and Notre Dame, according to Fox News. FTMQ News reported earlier that Riley has led the Trojans since 2022 in the Big Ten Conference. Before joining USC, Riley served as the head coach at the University of Oklahoma from 2017 to 2021, where he won four straight Big 12 championships. [1][12][14][15]

USC now has two losses on the season with remaining conference games ahead, CBS Sports reported. Buying out Riley's contract could cost the university as much as $70 million, according to CBS Sports. [3]