Did Lincoln Riley finally get what he wanted regarding the Ole Miss-USC home/home series?

There have been rumblings a few weeks back that USC was looking to back out of their 2024 game against LSU, as reported by Matt Hayes at Saturday Down South. That game will go ahead this season. However, the 2025-26 home/home series between Ole Miss and USC will not.

Brett McMurphy, a college football insider with the Action Network, was the first to report that the series would not happen. McMurphy posted on "X" that both teams had reached a mutual decision to cancel the 2025-26 home-home series.

It was a blow for the Rebels, looking to take on one of the Big Ten's best teams in back-to-back seasons. Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin and USC head coach Lincoln Riley have shared a back-and-forth on social media over the past few seasons, all in good nature.

Was Lincoln Riley the main driving force in getting the series canceled?

Although many of the reports are speculation, you get that feeling that the USC head coach didn't want this game on the team's 2025 and 2026 schedule. Fans will point to Lincoln Riley not enjoying playing SEC teams. However, it is likely more straightforward than that.

With the Trojans moving to the Big Ten Conference, they will face a much more brutal schedule than they did in the Pac-12. With the playoffs expanding to 12 teams, playing more challenging non-conference games would mean USC had more to lose before heading into their conference games.

However, I would challenge that by saying it would be inaccurate. We saw Alabama lose to Texas early but then take care of their conference schedule, booking their place in the college football playoffs last season. Yes, it would be hard going unbeaten on a Big Ten schedule. However, dropping another game would not be the end of the world, with the new-look playoffs being 12-team.

Also, playing a manageable non-conference schedule could mean a 10-2 season, with two losses against conference teams could affect your chances of a playoff spot. You can argue a case to build your schedule either way. However, the best teams in the nation back themselves against some of the best teams in college football.

Whatever the reason, we won't likely find out. Ole Miss may have to look for another non-conference home/home series unless the SEC moves to a nine-game conference schedule.