Even with all of the success that the No. 15 USC Trojans have earned this season, the chase for a College Football Playoff is the realest it's been all season.

Hear me out, Oklahoma fans. If and when you finish watching the No. 8 Sooners take care of No. 22 Mizzou to preserve a clear path to the Playoff, flip on CBS. At 3:30 p.m. ET, Lincoln Riley will lead No.

LOS ANGELES—USC head coach Lincoln Riley has been named a semifinalist for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award.

Lincoln Riley said he sensed a shift in his team's demeanor at halftime, just as the team’s Playoff hopes were hanging by a thread.

The speculation about a departure emerged earlier this week when ESPN college football analyst Josh Pate suggested that Riley could be on the hot seat or leave the school, cryptically saying “Let’s just keep an eye on Lincoln Riley at USC.”

The Trojans head to Oregon next week — where they have not won since 2011 — for a game with significant CFP ramifications.

The No. 17 USC Trojans defense will face its toughest test of the season against the No. 8 Oregon Ducks in Saturday's high-stakes matchup in Eugene. How can USC's recent defensive success contribute to an upset win over the Ducks?