WATCH: Oregon DC Tosh Lupoi throws hilarious shade at Lincoln Riley

When a 6-foot-4, 250-pound former defensive lineman throws some unnecessary shade your way, there are few things you can do in retaliation. Right off the bat, you can choose to respond, risking that you will be led into a confrontation that may not have a desirable outcome. You can also ignore it and hope that the jokes stop coming after 24 hours or so.

Those might be a couple of options that USC head coach Lincoln Riley is weighing at the moment after Oregon Ducks defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi threw some shade his way on Wednesday afternoon. When asked about whether or not he wears his national championship ring on recruiting visits, Lupoi decided to take aim at Riley.

“Only because you brought him up, [Riley] did get close,” Lupoi said about Lincoln’s proximity to winning a championship. “We actually played him, I was the defensive coordinator on the other side of the line. He had a guy named Kyler Murray — a really good player — and it was 28-0 in the first quarter. But he did get close, you’re right.”

The game Lupoi is referring to is the Orange Bowl from Dec. 29, 2018, a semifinal for the College Football Playoff. Alabama jumped out to a 28-0 lead before going on to win, 45-34. The Crimson Tide would go on to beat the Georgia Bulldogs in the national championship game.

Did Lupoi need to assert some dominance over Lincoln Riley and harken back on old memories? Probably not. Are we glad he did? Absolutely. This coaching staff isn’t afraid to get into the weeds, and for the most part, they have the accolades to back it up.

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