USC head coach Lincoln Riley opened his postgame press conference after Saturday's win over Ohio State in routine fashion. He closed it with a pointed message for his critics and a parting "adios."
The No. 18 Trojans upset the Buckeyes, who dropped from No. 2 to No. 11 in the AP Top 25. After answering questions about the result and what it could mean for USC's College Football Playoff hopes, Riley pulled out a folded white sheet of paper. "I got one other thing I want to say here, if I just took a second. I want to make sure to articulate my thoughts," he said.
He then read the statement word for word. "This program is built on internal joy, not external applause. This win is for all the staff members, the players, the leaders, admin. All the people within the walls. I said before this game that I'm the right person for this job, and as long as all those people know that, that's all I care about." He added that he appreciates being part of the university, the players and the staff, and will "continue to fight on, because that's what being Trojan is all about." Riley then stood and left the podium.
It is not known whether Riley wrote the statement himself or had it prepared before the game. It appears to be aimed at the "outside noise" he has mentioned throughout the season. Many pundits and fans have questioned his ability to lead the team in recent weeks.
The criticism followed a rough stretch. USC lost 17-7 to Wisconsin, a result that knocked the Trojans out of the AP Top 25 and put their playoff chances in doubt. They also lost a third straight game to Oregon, which moved Riley's record against ranked opponents to 5-15, and had to come back from a 21-10 deficit to beat Washington. The Coliseum crowd chanted "fire Riley" during that game.
The Ohio State win sent USC back into the rankings. It was the program's highest-ranked win since it beat No. 2 Oklahoma in 2004. The Trojans held Ohio State to a season-low 18 points, largely shut down Heisman Trophy candidate Jeremiah Smith, and did not allow a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter.
Offensive lineman Tobias Raymond echoed his coach's message. "This is no offense to anybody that's outside the building," he said, "but nothing matters but the people in the building and who we have inside the building, and how we get along each day." He called the result "a product of that, just focusing on ourselves, and what we do best and just playing Trojan football."
USC fans rushing the Coliseum field Saturday night seemed to drown out the outside noise, at least for now. The Trojans must handle their upcoming bye week better than the last one, which preceded the loss at Wisconsin. After it, they face two ranked opponents: No. 6 Indiana and No. 5 UCLA. UCLA is unbeaten under first-year head coach Bob Chesney.
The first College Football Playoff rankings are due Tuesday, and Ohio State's fall could shake them up. "Look at all the craziness across the country," Riley said. "The teams that just hang in there, keep going, get better, stay together, are going to be the ones that are there in the end." He described USC's schedule as full of "phenomenal challenges" and "phenomenal opportunities."
