Report: Lincoln Riley, USC attempted to get out of playing LSU
According to a report, Lincoln Riley and USC attempted for two years to get out of playing LSU in Las Vegas on Sept. 1.
Labor Day Weekend usually brings out some of the best nonconference college football games, having standalone games on Sunday and Monday. This year will feature two of the sport’s blueblood programs facing off in Las Vegas, with LSU and USC facing off in the Sin City.
However, per a report, people on the Trojans side have been attempting to get out of the game since Lincoln Riley was hired.
“USC tried for nearly 2 years to find a way out of a contract to play LSU in Las Vegas because Trojans coach Lincoln Riley didn’t want the game, multiple sources told Saturday Down South,” Hayes said.
“As late as last fall, after Jen Cohen was hired away from Washington to be the new USC athletic director, the USC administration was still trying to get out of the game, including offering other opponents to LSU, sources said.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 1, with ESPN/ABC having the broadcast — apparently something FOX is not too happy with.
USC making the move over to the Big Ten is a big deal for FOX, especially with Riley’s resurgence of the program. But having them play their first game since moving from the Pac-12 televised on the Disney side meant FOX attempted to get the Trojans out of the game too.
“At one point, Fox Sports got involved and tried to further the process,” Hayes said. “The network wasn’t enamored with the idea of USC’s first game as a Big Ten member broadcast by rival ABC/ESPN.”
Riley and LSU’s Brian Kelly share the same agent, Trace Armstrong. Hayes reports he got involved in the process too, hoping to convince Kelly to change his mind about playing the game.
Ultimately, there was no luck. LSU and USC will be in Las Vegas to open up the 2024 season in what should be one of the more exciting matchups on the calendar.
Riley will forever be connected to LSU after being heavily linked to the Tigers when their job was open in late 2021. When questioned about potentially taking over in Baton Rouge after an Oklahoma loss to Oklahoma State, Riley directly said he would not leave for LSU.
Just a few hours later, Riley’s bags were packed but he was heading out West to accept the USC job. He will now be on the opposing sideline facing off against LSU, despite his reported best efforts.
