At the onset of Lincoln Riley’s arrival was mass hysteria. USC Trojans donors, alums, and fans have lost their minds. In like manner, the College Football betting expectations for USC are off the charts. Lincoln Riley made his name and fame as the Oklahoma Sooner head coach. His departure from OU left shockwaves throughout the college football world. Riley led the Sooners to four Big 12 championships and four consecutive College Football Playoff berths. USC has floundered in the wilderness for more than a decade. Thus, they decided to make Riley an offer he couldn’t refuse.
2022 USC Trojans Future odds at SBG
| Prop | Odds |
|---|---|
| Pac-12 Championship | +350 |
| National Championship | +2400 |
| Over – Under Win Total | 9.5 |
Lincoln Riley Does the Unthinkable By Thinking Things Through
Nobody voluntarily leaves the University of Oklahoma head coaching job for another school. The last man to leave OU for another gig was in 1973 when Chuck Fairbanks elevated himself to the NFL. In like manner to USC, the Oklahoma program is a sportsbook blue blood brand. When Riley announced he was leaving, there were screams that he had lost his mind. NOBODY leaves the powerhouse Oklahoma program for ANY other college football job. So, why did Riley head for the Pacific?
Oklahoma is scheduled to become a member of the war zone known as the Southeastern Conference. The SEC is the toughest conference in college football. And it is really not close to any other league. Oklahoma will have to compete with Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M, Florida, LSU, and Ole Miss, among other teams. In turn, Oklahoma will get a massive financial raise for the move.
The SEC has emerged as a power brand in all sports. Consider the SEC’s success in baseball, softball, men’s and women’s basketball, golf, and gymnastics. All of this success feeds into the ESPN-backed SEC Network. And all of that feeds into a massive financial windfall. Accordingly, the money is so good that Texas flipped as well. Texas and Oklahoma have much more stroke and opportunity for success in the Big 12. But they are glad to surrender that for SEC riches.
Lincoln Riley saw the future and realized that it didn’t work. Oklahoma will struggle to consistently win at the level its fans and donors are accustomed to. And that means he would be on the hot seat sooner rather than later.
In comparison, the Pac-12 is a weak football conference. And USC is the flagship brand of the Pac-12 Conference. However, the Trojans have never fully recovered from their years on probation.
USC Trojans Conclusion
Former head coach Clay Helton did win a Rose Bowl and produced two double-digit win seasons. But nobody ever took Helton seriously as the head coach. He was on the hot seat from the moment he got the job. Therefore, recruiting was a tougher sell for Helton. Perhaps Helton could have succeeded with more support. But he didn’t get it.
Riley will get anything that he wants. The USC donors have offered a blank check to the new coach. Recruiting is a cinch at USC with the right coach. And Riley brings a strong College Football Betting record of recruiting prowess. Most important of all, the combination of USC’s potential and the relative weakness of the Pac-12 could mean a dynasty soon.