Lincoln Riley’s remarkable streak as a college head coach continues at USC
There are lots of impressive facts and statistics one can mention when Lincoln Riley is the topic of conversation.
The man has four College Football Playoff appearances on his resume, three as a head coach. He has won four Big 12 championships and will try to win a conference title this Friday when USC plays Utah in Las Vegas.
Today — November 28, 2022 — is the one-year anniversary of Riley’s arrival at USC as the program’s new head coach, In that year, Riley has completely transformed the program. USC went from being 4-8 last year to 11-1 (with more games to play) this year.
So much about Riley is hugely impressive, but in the midst of all the facts one can mention about him, a particular streak stands out. That streak was continued in 2022, and we’ll discuss it below:
2017 OKLAHOMA
Lincoln Riley went 12-2 overall, 12-1 in the regular season.
2018 OKLAHOMA
Riley went 12-2 overall, 12-1 in the regular season.
2019 OKLAHOMA
You’ll never believe this, but Riley went 12-2 overall, 12-1 in the regular season.
2020 OKLAHOMA
In the shortened pandemic season, Riley went 9-2 overall, 8-2 in the regular season.
2021 OKLAHOMA
Riley went 10-2. Bob Stoops coached the Sooners in their bowl win, and OU finished 11-2.
2022 USC
Riley has USC 11-1. At worst, USC will finish 11-2 for the regular season.
THE STREAK
You can see that Riley has never lost more than two games in any of his six regular seasons as a collegiate head coach. Riley kept that streak going this year, despite skepticism from the media that he would be able to lose fewer than three games.
THE NEXT STREAK
Riley hasn’t lost more than two games in any full season as a collegiate head coach, including bowl games. If USC beats Utah this Friday night in the Pac-12 Championship Game, Riley will continue that streak as well.
FURTHERMORE
Since Riley arrived at Oklahoma as the Sooners’ offensive coordinator in 2015, he has never lost more than two games in any season as an assistant coach or head coach at a blue-blood program.
2015 OKLAHOMA
The Sooners finished 11-2 overall, 11-1 in the regular season.
2016 OKLAHOMA
The Sooners finished 11-2 overall, 10-2 in the regular season.
NOTE
2015 and 2016 Oklahoma finished with 11 wins, not 12, because the Big 12 did not have a conference championship game in those two seasons (and not from 2011-2016).
2021 OKLAHOMA
Riley came won win short of reaching the Big 12 Championship Game in the 2021 season at Oklahoma.
Had Riley reached the 2021 Big 12 title game, he would have won his conference or reached his conference’s championship game in all eight seasons at Oklahoma or USC, including his two years as Bob Stoops’ offensive coordinator.
NEW YEAR'S SIX BOWLS
With the sole exception of 2021 at Oklahoma, Riley — who will make a New Year’s Six bowl this year at USC — will be 7 for 8 in his seasons at OU and USC, including the two years as Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator.
PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
USC plays Utah Friday night, Dec. 2, in Las Vegas. The game starts just after 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on Fox Sports.
