"Lincoln Riley tone deaf as usual" - CFB insider rips into USC HC for dodging Notre Dame rivalry question

Lincoln Riley and Marcus Freeman are the head coaches of the USC Trojans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish, respectively. Both coaches are among the best in college football, and they're key figures in the modern USC-Notre Dame rivalry.

Over the offseason, reports have surfaced that the USC Trojans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish's annual matchup may be coming to an end. A game is scheduled for 2025, but none in the 2026 campaign. When asked to comment on the current situation around the matchup, Lincoln Riley said,

"We will at the appropriate time."

Upon reading his response, college football insider Scott Wolf (@InsideUSC) ripped through the season head coach. Wolf wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter),

"Lincoln Riley tone deaf as usual"

Wolf is a veteran in Trojan media. He has covered USC football for 25 years and has worked for the LA Daily News and Sports Illustrated.

Lincoln Riley has been mostly silent about the possibility of USC and Notre Dame matchups coming to an end. The Fighting Irish won the most recent matchup between the programs in the 2024 regular season and went on to reach the national championship game, eventually losing to Ohio State.

On the other hand, the USC Trojans ended the regular season with a 6-6 record. They did beat the Texas A&M Aggies to win the Las Vegas Bowl Game.

What's next for Lincoln Riley and USC?

Lincoln Riley is currently on a stellar recruitment run. He's fresh off landing five-star tight end recruit Mark Bowman for the powerhouse program, and remains in great position to land further top-notch products.

According to Sports Illustrated, the USC class of 2026 has earned 27 commitments, which features one five-star and 16 four-star recruits. That puts them No. 1 for the 2026 class, a huge improvement from their No. 15 ranking in 2025. The allure of playing for a proven Heisman Trophy developer is perhaps a good reason to come to USC in 2026.

For the 2025 college football season, Lincoln Riley and the Trojans start their season at home against the Missouri State Bears. They then have some standout matchups such as Purdue, Michigan, Notre Dame, Nebraska and UCLA.