Ken Ruinard / staff, The Greenville News via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Paul Finebaum Names Historic College Football Program That's No Longer Among the Best

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Jul 30, 2025 10:00 PM ET

In college football, several programs have consistently performed well throughout the decades. These programs are known as "blue bloods."

Programs include the Alabama Crimson Tide, Ohio State Buckeyes, Michigan Wolverines, Oklahoma Sooners, Notre Dame Fighting Irish and USC Trojans. One of the programs is struggling significantly; ESPN's Paul Finebaum noted on his show, "The Paul Finebaum Show," that they are no longer considered elite in the sport.

The team in question is the USC Trojans. In their history, they have won nine national championships and 39 conference championships. However, since 2010, they have only achieved five seasons with 10 or more wins and have never qualified for the College Football Playoff.

"Colin Cowherd can act like Southern Cal is the be-all, end-all," Finebaum said. "It's not. When you talk about today's powers in college football, it's not even on the list anymore. We are talking about a school that at one time literally sat on the front row of college football."

Finebaum stated that he believes the Trojans need a change in head coach. He thinks Lincoln Riley has had two disappointing seasons at USC, but he is not under any pressure because USC cannot afford his buyout.

Riley's buyout for the upcoming season is substantial, totaling $90 million. This amount would set a new record in college football history, surpassing Jimbo Fisher’s previous record buyout of $77.5 million at Texas A&M. Additionally, Finebaum suggests that the recent changes in leadership at USC could help secure Riley's position.

ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) is fairly optimistic about USC's chances of turning things around in the upcoming season. The FPI predicts that the Trojans will finish fifth in the Big Ten and achieve an overall record of 8-4. According to the FPI, the Ohio State Buckeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions, Oregon Ducks and Michigan Wolverines are expected to finish ahead of USC.

It is now Riley's responsibility to turn things around and restore the Trojans to excellence in the sport, or he may find himself searching for a new job.

The Trojans will kick off their season against the Missouri State Bears at 7:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 30.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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