USC Coach Riley's Foul-Mouthed Outburst After Upsetting Ohio State
Lincoln Riley was heard using profanity directed at Ohio State staff moments after his Trojans secured a significant victory.
USC head football coach Lincoln Riley was heard using profanity in a postgame incident following his team's upset victory over Ohio State on Saturday. The Trojans defeated the second-ranked Buckeyes 30-18 at the Los Angeles Coliseum. As fans stormed the field and players and staff from both teams navigated the tunnel, Riley was captured on video saying, "Are you kidding me? F*** you! That's bulls***." The interaction appeared to be with Ohio State coaches.
This incident occurred moments after USC (7-2) secured what is considered the biggest win of Riley's tenure. The victory came after a season where Riley faced criticism, including calls for his firing after the previous year's 9-4 record and recent losses. Following the game, Riley addressed the situation by stating, "This program is built on internal joy, not external applause." He emphasized that the win was for the entire USC organization and reiterated his belief that he is the right person for the job. "As long as all those people know that, that's all I care about," Riley said. "I appreciate being a part of this university and all it does and I appreciate our kids and our staff and I'm going to continue to Fight On because that's what being a Trojan is all about."
The Trojans took an early lead with a touchdown pass and maintained momentum throughout the game. Freshman Trent Mosley was a key player, scoring a touchdown on a 69-yard reception and contributing to the Trojans' offensive success. USC's defense held the Ohio State offense, led by freshman quarterback Luke Fahey in his first start, for much of the game. Ohio State struggled with penalties, committing 11 for 75 yards.
Despite Ohio State racking up 464 total yards, they were unable to overcome USC's performance. The Buckeyes' lone touchdown came late in the fourth quarter. USC sealed the victory with a late field goal after recovering an onside kick. The win marked USC's first victory over a top-12 team in Riley's tenure and their first win against a top-five opponent at the Coliseum since 2015. Ohio State's loss marked their second early-season defeat since 2011.