Lincoln Riley holds back USC player in heated Indiana clash

Lincoln Riley spent Saturday afternoon trying to keep USC’s College Football Playoff hopes alive. After the final whistle, he was trying to keep one of his defensive linemen from getting into a fight.

The frustration from USC’s 27-13 loss to Indiana spilled onto the field at Memorial Stadium, where Trojans defensive tackle Alex VanSumeren and Hoosiers offensive lineman Bray Lynch exchanged heated words in a confrontation that required teammates and coaches to intervene.

A postgame video captured by Indiana journalism student Elias Khoury showed Riley physically restraining VanSumeren as the defensive tackle continued jawing with Lynch.

Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover, who lost his starting job to Grant Wilson for Saturday’s game, stepped in to keep Lynch away from the confrontation.

Apparently, four quarters of battling in the trenches weren’t enough for either player as the vitriol rolled over after the clock hit zeros. 

The postgame fireworks were an ugly conclusion to an even uglier afternoon for Riley and the Trojans.

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava threw three interceptions, and the Trojans missed two field goals and converted just 2 of 11 third downs. Despite moving the football effectively against one of the nation’s toughest defenses, USC managed just one touchdown in five red-zone trips.

The Trojans fell to 7-3, effectively burying their College Football Playoff chances. 

“We had some real opportunities to win this game because, play for play, it was a slugfest,” Riley said afterward. “Two teams going at it.”

But Riley acknowledged the mistakes were too costly.

“We definitely have come a long way as a program, but we still obviously have a couple of ways to go,” Riley said. “Closing out games like this are what you have to do to be the best.” 

Unfortunately for USC, in order to be the best, you have to beat the best, and the Trojans made too many mistakes against the reigning national champions. 

Two weeks after Riley pulled out a prepared statement following his signature win at Southern Cal over No. 2 Ohio State declaring himself still the right man for the job, being “close” against Indiana isn’t enough.

Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, not in the CFP rankings.

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