Lincoln Riley thought ending the iconic 78-year-old rivalry with Notre Dame would stop all their problems, but the outcome is completely different. This move opened the door to constant criticism for Riley, with fans and critics taking shots at him. And an LA Fox reporter is the latest to join the chorus.

“Now, Lincoln Riley, the head coach at USC, seems to have gotten his way,” Fox Reporter Petros Papadakis said on the AM 570 LA Sports podcast. “They’ve capitulated to a coach who’s not from here, who understands very little, it seems, about USC football. Coaches come and go. ADs come and go. We’ve lost SC Notre Dame. And I blame Lincoln Riley and the weak leadership at USC for allowing this to happen.”

The historic USC-Notre Dame rivalry came to an end after the USC head coach raised concerns about how late losses hurt playoff chances last year. Trojans initially considered a two-year extension with Notre Dame in November but backed out, citing timing issues. Notre Dame quickly filled the gap by finalizing a home-and-home series with BYU for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.

But this decision didn’t sit well with fans and former players such as USC legend Keyshawn Johnson, who didn’t think twice before taking a dig at Riley and the athletic department, questioning how their leadership could allow a rivalry to dissolve. History backs their emotions.

Since 1946, both teams have maintained their annual meetings except for a brief COVID-19 pause in 2020.

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This game doesn’t just hold regional influence but makes a national statement, bringing two storied programs from opposite coasts to one place. Losing one of the longest-running rivalries is a massive heartbreak for every fan, and Papadakis’s words resonate with them well.

Lincoln Riley and USC’s decision comes after considering the team’s long-term future.

USC faces additional challenges with the Big Ten schedule, playing nine conference games annually, including multiple ranked opponents. By contrast, Notre Dame enjoys their flexible scheduling because of its independent status outside of ACC commitments to play their teams. So, to reduce pressure on the team, Riley made this move.

The decision might have also been fueled by losing seven straight games against them. On top of it, Notre Dame even leads them in the all-time series with a 51-37-5 record.

However, tough schedules and constant losses don’t mean programs can turn their backs on fans’ emotions and long-rooted traditions. This decision places more pressure on Lincoln Riley, leaving him with fewer excuses for underperforming. If even after removing ND from their schedule, they don’t have a championship season, USC might as well fire him.

Now, another test awaits him.

Lincoln Riley gets real on losing his DC

Penn State’s making a really hard push to grab Lincoln Riley’s defensive coordinator, D’Anton Lynn, especially after Jim Knowles darted for Tennessee after just one season. Lynn is also a Penn State alum. As USC prepares to face TCU in the Alamo Bowl, Lincoln Riley addresses the entire situation.

“Those things are what they are,” Riley remarked. “Everybody prizes different things. That’s why I don’t judge that. I get it. But again, last year Penn State hired the defensive coordinator from the team that won the national championship. These things happen. Obviously, D’Anton’s done a really good job here, and we’ll see how it plays out.”

Penn State’s constant push for Lynn is because of his solid resume. Back in 2023, when he was at UCLA, Lynn lifted the Bruins’ 90th-ranked scoring defense to the 14th-ranked team. He followed the same momentum at USC, too, cutting opponents’ scoring by nearly 30 percent in 2024. The Trojans fell from allowing 34.4 points per game to 22.4. With that, he worked constantly on improving total defense, third-down efficiency, rushing defense, and explosive plays allowed.

Lynn also holds NFL experience.

Before joining college teams, he spent nine seasons coaching NFL secondaries with teams including the Ravens, Texans, Chargers, Bills, and Jets. Knowing all of it, Riley is determined to retain Lynn. But looking at Lynn’s reputation, it’s tough to retain him.

It will be interesting to see if USC locks in its defensive weapon or Penn State lures him away.