When USC plays Penn State this Saturday, it will be a reunion of two former Big 12 coaches, now located in the Big Ten. Lincoln Riley and Matt Campbell have coached against each other several times.
This USC-Penn State game really is the perfect test for both coaches. Lincoln Riley has the talent but can't do much of anything in Big Ten road games. It's the kind of game which, if he loses it, should get him fired. It's the precise kind of test Riley has flunked often at USC, so if he wants to keep his job, he needs to finally pass this test in Happy Valley. Meanwhile, Matt Campbell went against Lincoln Riley often in the Big 12 when Iowa State played Oklahoma. Iowa State frequently gave OU and Riley problems (though that was with Jon Heacock
as the defensive coordinator going up against a Riley Sooner offense). Campbell is used to coaching against Riley with less-talented players. It's in some ways a sweet spot for him. He loves coaching against Riley as an underdog. It's the perfect "get right" game for Penn State, playing a team which historically steps on a rake every time it plays a Big Ten road game.
Penn State fans are right to be angry at the state of the program right now, but USC could be the ideal get-well tonic for the Nittany Lions and their first-year coach. It's going to be a fascinating game because both coaches are under heavy fire, and we are all waiting to see how they respond (and how well they prepare their teams for battle).
Contact/Follow @TrojansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of USC Trojans news, notes and opinion.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Lincoln Riley and Matt Campbell renew their coaching rivalry
