Lincoln Riley Earns Surprising Ranking Among Big Ten Coaches
Lincoln Riley Earns Surprising Ranking Among Big Ten Coaches
Lincoln Riley’s place among the Big Ten’s top coaches highlights both his proven success and the rising expectations surrounding USC. Olivia Cleary|
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USC TrojansAnticipation continues to build for the 2025 college football season, especially around USC. As Lincoln Riley enters his fifth year in Los Angeles, expectations for the Trojans are rising once again, and that pressure is reflected in national coaching evaluations.
On Monday, On3’s Ari Wasserman released his “Where all 18 Big Ten head coaches rank before the 2026 season” list, and Riley came in just outside of the top 5 at No. 6.
Coming in at No. 6 in these Big Ten coaching rankings is no small feat. The Big Ten is home to some of the nation’s most elite and successful coaches.
Indiana’s Curt Cignetti takes the No. 1 spot after a dominant 2025 season that saw the program’s first national championship. Ohio State coach Ryan Day takes the No. 2 spot while Oregon’s Dan Lanning comes in at No. 3. Next is Michigan’s Kyle Whittingham, then Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz rounds out the top 5.
USC’s Riley sits just outside the elite group, which highlights both his elite coaching résumé as well as the growing scrutiny surrounding his tenure at USC.
Where Lincoln Riley Stands in the Big Ten Coaching Rankings
On3’s list factors in both historical success and current program trajectory, blending résumé value with recent performance.
“People are down on Riley right now, and rightly so,” wrote Wasserman. “When USC hired him away from Oklahoma, the expectation was that he would compete for national championships. Heading into year five in Los Angeles, Riley has yet to make the College Football Playoff.”
When Riley arrived at USC, the expectation was for Riley to immediately contend for a national championship. In Year 1, Riley led the Trojans to an 11–3 season, just narrowly missing out on the CFP.
However, since that inaugural season, there was a drop-off. Instead of building off that explosive 11–3 start, the Trojans plateaued. Riley's immediate success was heavily tethered to an unprecedented, portal-heavy roster flip, a strategy he has since admitted was a foundational mistake.
The bill for that shortcut came due over the next two years. USC tumbled to an 8–5 finish in 2023, followed by a 7–6 reality check during their 2024 Big Ten debut. Last season, the Trojans saw some improvement but still ended with a 9–4 record.
Because the roster consistently lacked depth and a physical identity in the trenches, Riley has completely missed out on the College Football Playoff in every single season since his debut year.
However, with that being said, it can’t be overlooked what he accomplished at Oklahoma. Wasserman noted that while Riley’s tenure at USC has not yet produced a College Football Playoff appearance, his coaching pedigree still demands respect.
At Oklahoma, Riley turned the program into a Big 12 powerhouse, winning conference titles and reaching multiple College Football Playoffs. The objective now is to capture that same level of national dominance at USC.
Why USC’s Roster, Recruiting, and Defensive Changes Raise the Ceiling
Despite skepticism that Riley is facing, his upside is undeniably one of the highest in the country, and that is attributed to the adjustments he has made as a head coach, as well as finding ways to recruit and keep players at USC despite the modern implications of modern college football.
Riley’s early reliance on quick-fix transfer portal stars has been supplemented by a grounded philosophy centered on long-term development. USC landed the No. 1 high school recruiting class in the 2026 cycle and also leads the entire FBS with 15 returning starters. That blend of talent and experience gives Riley one of the most complete setups in the country heading into the season.
Not to mention the changes Riley has made on the defensive side of the ball, including the addition of former TCU head coach Gary Patterson as defensive coordinator.
That move gives USC a proven defensive mind to help stabilize a unit that has been a weak spot in recent years.
With USC trending upward on the recruiting trail and major changes now in place on defense, Riley’s standing in future coaching rankings will likely come down to whether the Trojans can finally break through into the College Football Playoff.
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Published Jun 18, 2026
OLIVIA CLEARYHome/Football
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
