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As the countdown to the inevitable college football season rolls right along, there are several coaches whose careers could be at a make-or-break point come fall.
Among the Big Ten coaches, a few come to mind who might be feeling added pressure. Most notably, according to CBS Sports, it’s USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley and Wisconsin Badgers coach Luke Fickell.
Right now, Riley appears to have more upside.
“At most programs, a 9-4 season like 2025's finish would generate optimism. At USC, it simply raises the next question: When is the breakthrough coming? That's the reality Riley faces entering his fifth year with the Trojans,” Brad Crawford wrote.
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Luckily for the Trojans, they’ve been on the doorstep of a College Football Playoff berth. The Badgers, meanwhile, have not.
And Crawford says there is a critical reason why.
“The biggest reason Fickell's tenure has never taken off is simple: Wisconsin has lost its identity,” Crawford wrote. “For decades, the Badgers won with a formula that was easy to understand through a physicality-first mindset. They developed offensive linemen, dominated the line of scrimmage, ran the football and played hard-nosed defensively.”
Meanwhile, the Trojans have reached a breaking point: a postseason berth or bust.
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“A playoff berth would validate the rebuild and reestablish USC as a national contender. Another season falling short would intensify questions about whether one of the sport's brightest offensive minds can deliver championships in the Big Ten era. At USC, good is never good enough. And Riley needs to be elite this fall to make it stick.”
Elite is still a word hanging over Riley’s head. If there isn’t a year where the Trojans can’t get to the playoffs, this may be the year.
Come September, we’ll find out.
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