‘Dumbest Question I’ve Been Asked’: USC’s Lincoln Riley Snaps At Reporter After Disastrous Loss Against Oregon

I’m not the biggest fan of Lincoln Riley, but this reporter … I can get on board with this guy.

After USC’s 42-27 defeat Saturday against Oregon, Lincoln Riley fired back at a reporter, labeling their question the “dumbest” he’s ever heard throughout his whole head coaching career in college football. (RELATED: Georgia’s Nyier Daniels Arrested On Felony Charges After Wild Police Chase Featuring Mother)

Adam Bradford of USA Today’s Trojans Wire pointed to a College GameDay sign held by a Ducks fan that said “Extend Lincoln Riley’s contract,” using it to question Riley about the way rival fanbases perceive him — and whether they truly view USC as a serious threat in the Big Ten conference.

“That might be the dumbest question I’ve been asked as long as I’ve been a head coach, and I’ve been asked a lot of questions,” replied Riley. “You ought to be a little embarrassed to ask that question. This is a professional thing. You ought to try it.”

WATCH:

Later, Bradford wrote on Twitter that he posed a question to Riley, and the skipper “was not particularly pleased” after the fact.

I just asked Lincoln Riley a question, and he was not particularly pleased that I asked it lol

— Adam Bradford (@Adam_Bradford14) November 23, 2025

Adam Bradford did exactly what I would’ve done: Take advantage of Lincoln Riley snapping at you for content, flex about it on social media, and (if applicable) monetize the living hell out of it.

“But journalists aren’t supposed to make themselves the story.”

In sports, that rule is completely irrelevant. All of our jobs have already been taken over by former athletes, and on top of that, artificial intelligence is creeping in to make the market even worse.

Bradford gets it. The “dumbest” question he ever asked is a pure money-maker from where I’m sitting. And that’s all that matters in this economy, facts.