Coach Lincoln Riley's future in Los Angeles has risen as a major hot button topic again, and this time those talks reignited following Wisconsin's 24-7 win over the USC Trojans on Oct. 24.

USC sits bowl eligible at 6-2. However, the now unranked Trojans are being compared to crosstown rival UCLA going undefeated right away under first year coach Bob Chesney, while USC is operating in season five with Riley that featured no College Football Playoff appearances.

But there's another reason why Riley's future in the Land of Troy remains questionable. All thanks to a prominent opening in a conference Riley knows well.

Analyst Calls Lincoln Riley 'Wildcard' for Baylor Opening

Baylor fired coach Dave Aranda following the Bears' own Oct. 24 loss at the hands of Kansas. So that opened up the most appealing Big 12 Conference job.

Riley's name is floated as a "wildcard" here per college football insider for The Athletic Chris Vannini, including sharing if there was interest before from Riley.

"The ultimate wild card. Industry sources a year ago shared whispers that Riley could be interested in this job, but it didn’t open," Vannini wrote. "Outside talk of the West Texas native leaving USC to return to his home state has been around for a while, whether by getting fired (complete with a $60 million-plus buyout) or by leaving on his own, which USC would likely welcome."

But there's another Big 12 job Vannini mentions that could be worth monitoring outside of the Waco university.

"The TCU job could also fit Riley if the Frogs move on from Sonny Dykes," Vannini said. "Riley’s stunning move from Oklahoma to USC in 2021 makes anything feel possible. The Trojans are 6-2 with big games coming up. How those games turn out could determine Riley’s future."

TCU would emerge as a huge plot twist for Riley, considering that former Horned Frogs coach Gary Patterson serves under the USC coach as his defensive coordinator. Vannini isn't the only one believing Baylor and Riley could connect, with Pete Nakos of On3 also mentioning Riley's name as a possibility for the Bears.

However, Riley is still under contract at USC.

Restlessness Growing at USC Under Lincoln Riley

USC fans feel like they're seeing the same song and dance, no matter who the head coach is.

In this case, Riley was supposed to become the one who reignited national championship runs post coach Pete Carroll. But USC has gone to just one New Year's Six bowl game under Riley, which was the 2022 season Cotton Bowl loss to Tulane in his first season.

Riley has created Holiday, Las Vegas and Alamo Bowl runs since then at USC. But the 17-point debacle in Madison, Wisconsin fired off a brand new "sky is falling" narrative for the Trojans especially for alums like former USC and NFL wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson.

Fans and national media are once again seeing USC underachieve when expectations rise. The Trojans are likely one loss away from facing elimination of playing for the Big Ten Conference title, or even break into the 12-team College Football Playoff.

Once again, UCLA's sudden renaissance in year one under Chesney isn't helping matters for Riley and USC. The Trojans also operate in a conference that's seen the NCAA's losingest program Indiana become a national champion in two seasons under coach Curt Cignetti.

Worse for USC? A Halloween showdown with No. 2 Ohio State inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum looms, which could make-or-break the Riley tenure.