NORMAN, Okla. -- Lincoln Riley is 36 years old, which means with his next win, the third-year Oklahoma coach will have matched his age in career victories. He is 35-5, one defeat of No. 7 Baylor away from his third consecutive Big 12 Conference championship. That is a testament to Riley's talent, not to mention athletic director Joe Castiglione's willingness to push in his chips on an untested offensive savant.
In a business when many guys burn out by their mid-50s -- Chris Petersen joined Urban Meyer and Riley's predecessor, Bob Stoops in the early retirement sector just this week -- Riley has the still-rare combination of youth and experience.