Lincoln Riley: USC 'is where I want to be. This is the right place for me'

Could USC’s game against No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday be a referendum on Lincoln Riley?

Perhaps no coach faces more pressure entering Week 9 than Riley. The Trojans fell out of the AP Top 25 in Week 8 with a putrid performance at Wisconsin. The USC offense had just 241 total yards — and lost yards rushing — in a 24-7 loss.

The defeat dropped USC to 6-2 ahead of the Buckeyes’ Halloween visit. And also put the Trojans two games out of first in the Big Ten. A loss to Ohio State on Saturday ends any hope USC has of making the Big Ten title game for the first time.

“Listen, if I didn’t want to be at this place, I wouldn’t have come here in the first place,” Riley said at his Tuesday news conference. “If I didn’t want to be at this place — I’ve had plenty of opportunities to leave. This is where I want to be. This is the right place for me. I’m the right person to be here. And that’s just as honest and transparent as I can be with you guys.”

While Riley may think he’s the right fit at USC, just how much control over his future will he have if USC loses? Ohio State enters the game without quarterback Julian Sayin. It’s the first time the Buckeyes have taken the field since Sayin was lost for the year with a right shoulder injury against Indiana. Freshman QB Luke Fahey is likely to start in his place.

If USC can’t take advantage of a freshman making the first start of his career, is it really a top-tier program in the Big Ten? USC hasn’t lost fewer than three games in any of Riley’s first four seasons since arriving from Oklahoma. And that 11-3 campaign came in his first season. Since then, USC is 30-17.

Washington is 33-15 in that same span.

“I love it here. Like I’ve told you guys a lot of times, there’s not many people in college football history that gave up what I gave up to come here,” Riley said of his move from Oklahoma. “I don’t care if it’s 15 years down the line. That never shouldn’t be taken lightly. It’s certainly not taken likely by me. I came here because this is where I wanted to be. I came here because I believe in this place and none of that has changed whatsoever.”