Joel Klatt Hints At Major College Football Coach Being Fired If He Has Another Bad Season
The 2025 college football season may bring some changes, particularly for major programs whose coaches are under pressure.
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One such program is the USC Trojans, led by coach Lincoln Riley. When Riley was hired from the Oklahoma Sooners before the 2022 season, it seemed like a fantastic choice. He boasted an impressive record of 55-10 during his five seasons at Oklahoma, where he led the Sooners to four consecutive Big 12 championships and three straight appearances in the College Football Playoff.
However, he took over a USC team that had struggled, winning five or fewer games in three of the previous four seasons. In his third year, Riley's team finished with a record of 7-6. Now, Joel Klatt from Fox Sports has stated on his show, "The Joel Klatt Show," that Riley's job may be at risk if he has to endure another disappointing season.
USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
"I personally believe Riley has come under some criticism that might not be fair," Klatt said. "But I could be wrong. Because he's going to have to win this year. You can't go 7-5 again. You just can't."
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Klatt notes that last season, the Trojans started strong with a thrilling last-second victory over the LSU Tigers, which gave him hope that USC could make a legitimate run for the College Football Playoff. However, the team fell off later in the season, finishing with a disappointing season, marking Riley's worst year as head coach.
Despite this, Klatt believes the Trojans demonstrated their ability to win significant games. He highlighted their bowl game victory over the Texas A&M Aggies and the fact that they pushed the Penn State Nittany Lions, who reached the College Football Playoff semifinals, into overtime.
This season could be pivotal for Riley. Over his three years at the helm, the team's performance has declined each year. In his first season, USC achieved an 11-3 record and reached the Pac-12 Championship Game, but they followed that with an 8-5 season and then a 7-6 finish last year.
If USC decides to part ways with Riley, his buyout is set at $90 million, which would be the highest in college football history, surpassing Jimbo Fisher's $77.5 million buyout at Texas A&M.
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The Trojans will kick off their season against the Missouri State Bears at 7:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 30.
Related: Paul Finebaum Calls Major College Football Coach a Fraud
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
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