Remember Paul Finebaum saying the USC Trojans are “overrated?” However, not so long after that, when Lincoln Riley’s boys secured a win against LSU, Finebaum ate his words. But after their first game’s remarkable victory, all we can see is the downfall of the Trojans. After that initial success, some critics are even saying that Riley is on the “hot seat” and may have to search for a new job if things do not go as planned. Another name has been added to that list. Keyshawn Johnson also points at Riley’s coaching position on shaky ground.

If you are unaware, Keyshawn Johnson was the first and only USC wide receiver to get drafted first overall in the NFL. He’s also considered one of the top five best receivers the USC Trojans have ever seen. So the legendary former NFL wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson went to the show “All Facts, No Brakes,” where he made some shocking revelations about the Trojans and Lincoln Riley’s degrading position this season after they lost at home to Penn State. “Well, the thought of the game was, you predicted them to lose, right? And we blew it and ended up losing the game. That’s what the predictions are. That’s what happened. Now it’s Lincoln Riley on the hot seat. His seat is going to be high. They are not going to make the playoffs this year.”

Phew! Keyshawn Johnson not only questioned Riley’s coaching position but also highlighted the fact that the Trojans are not going to be there in the playoffs. That’s surprising because we’re talking about one of college football’s top programs. However, looking at their recent 30-33 blunder against Penn State, Johnson’s statement does not seem shocking.

Shawn did not stop there; he explained how USC started the season with an amazing 27-20 win over LSU but he pointed out what happened after that. They won games like 48-0 against Utah State and 38-21 against Wisconsin, but both were unranked teams. Teams like Michigan and Minnesota beat the shit out of the Trojans. And their loss to Penn State last week is unbearable to the fans. Under these circumstances, it won’t be surprising if Riley gets out of the program. Despite getting targeted by the whole college football world, there is a guy who encouraged Riley.

Fox insider still holds hopes for Lincoln Riley

The USC Trojans and Lincoln Riley failed to grab a win in their debut Big Ten game against Penn State in week seven. As of now, they hold a 3-3 record for the six games they played. After which, almost every other fan and critic backlash upon him. But Fox insider Joel Klatt has something different to say.

In a recent episode of the Joel Klatt show, Klatt revealed that “USC can easily be 5-1, 6-0, and we’ll be singing a very different tune.” This makes it clear that even though Lincoln Riley is struggling to find their foot in the 2024 season, Joel Klatt has confidence in USC and also Riley’s abilities as a head coach.

There are analysts who refuse to believe that Lincoln Riley’s team can end up in the playoffs, whereas there is Joel Klatt who believes USC still has a chance to qualify for the Bowl games. With that, next up, we’ll see the Trojans in the week 8 game against Maryland.