Lincoln Riley Shoots Down Florida Rumors, But Should Anyone Believe Him?

The college football coaching carousel is as crazy as it's ever been, and there are plenty of dominoes left to fall. 

James Franklin has found a new home with the Virginia Tech Hokies. After that hire, most of the focus has centered on the Ole Miss Rebels and Lane Kiffin. Kiffin, who's led Ole Miss to just the second 11-win season in program history, is set to decide whether he stays in Oxford or leaves for Baton Rouge and LSU. 

But that still leaves several big programs looking for coaches, including the Penn State Nittany Lions and, importantly, the Florida Gators. That's where rumors have swirled around current USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley. Riley is finishing up his fourth season in LA, and despite an impressive start to his tenure in 2022, overall, it's hard to call his time at SC anything but a disappointment. 

RELATED: USC Trojans Lose To USC Trojans, As Oregon Cements Place In College Football Playoff

Still, Riley's resume remains tough to match, his offenses have consistently ranked in the top 10 in the country, and if matched with an elite defensive program, there's reason to believe he could compete for consistent playoff spots. If he thinks that SC will continue to be mired in mediocrity, would he bolt for another school? Potentially, say, Florida and the SEC? 

Well, he was asked about it this week, and gave a pretty definitive answer.

Nov 7, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Riley To Florida Rumors Continue To Swirl

During Florida's loss to Tennessee, ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit specifically mentioned that Riley to Florida would make sense, should Kiffin lean elsewhere.

"Everybody’s talking about Lane [Kiffin]," Herbstreit said. "What if Lane Kiffin stays at Ole Miss or goes to LSU? I’ve been asking everybody, ‘What if you don’t get Lane Kiffin? Who’s next?’ Lincoln Riley… I’ve heard his name."

Los Angeles Times USC reporter Ryan Kartje asked Riley after practice this week if he intended to stay at USC, and the 42-year-old coach gave a pretty strong answer. 

"Oh yeah, 100 percent. Like I said before, I’m right where I’m supposed to be," he responded. "I think nothing other than what we're building, and I love being here."

If we've learned anything from the modern era of college football, and particularly coaches, you can never say never. But Riley's salary at SC remains extremely competitive, the Trojans have finally gotten their NIL in order, leading to SC currently set to bring in the No.1 recruiting class in the country, and there's been a financial commitment to improve the defense. 

Would Florida really be an upgrade? 

That said, if SC beats UCLA on Saturday, while a 9-3 season would show improvement after going just 13-11 the past two years, the 2026 season will be pivotal for Riley. The Trojans will have a brutal schedule, hosting Ohio State, Oregon and Washington, with road games against Indiana and Penn State. But Riley, in Year 5 of his tenure, will be expected to get the Trojans to the College Football Playoff. Maybe he'd prefer to stay away from even a potential "hot seat" situation by moving to a new job. 

Given his answer, it doesn't seem likely he will leave. But how much does that really mean? Who knows. There's plenty to say about college football, but it's never boring.