Staff Picks: Who Wins Illinois Football vs. USC?

The wiggle room for No. 23 Illinois (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) is gone. After a crushing loss at Indiana last week, the Illini have to win every game in which they remotely have a chance in order to stay in the mix for a College Football Playoff berth – and that starts Saturday (11 a.m. CT, FOX) against No. 21 USC (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten).

Illinois fell apart in just about every conceivable way in Bloomington, but let's give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that it was a combination of a IU, injuries and the game simply getting away from them. Against the Trojans, the Illini D is going to have to slow quarterback Jayden Maiava and his many weapons enough to give Luke Altmyer a chance to keep pace. Here's how our Illinois on SI staff imagine things unfolding:

Jason Langendorf

Is Illinois back? For now, we can't be sure the Illini were every really "here." That Duke win isn't holding up well, and so the concern is that the team we saw gutted by the Hoosiers last week is closer to the real thing than the one that got off to an impressive 3-0 start. USC will be the tester. If the Illini can't come home to topple the Trojans – a good second-tier Big Ten squad – then they were never deserving of all of the offseason CFP hype in the first place. They'll play USC close but ultimately come up short.

Prediction: USC 30, Illinois 27

Another Saturday in Champaign. Another opportunity to go 1-0. pic.twitter.com/jAG6HTj3FV
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) September 27, 2025

Steve Greenberg

The Trojans go up and down the field like Indiana. They also get after the passer like Indiana. Are they as good as Indiana? Might be. Maybe not quite. But as we know, the gap between Indiana and Illinois is L-A-R-G-E.

Prediction: USC 34, Illinois 24

Jackson Langendorf

Illinois is in dire need of a get-right win Saturday. Unfortunately, a well-coached, highly skilled No. 21 USC squad awaits Bret Bielema’s crew. In better news, though, the Illini appear healthier – aside from defensive back Xavier Scott – and poised for an offensive breakthrough. The difference-maker will be Illinois’ defensive performance. Despite the health improvements of the secondary, it likely won’t be enough to slow down USC’s high-powered offense.

Big Ten Availability Report vs. USC pic.twitter.com/fUU7og1kHX
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) September 27, 2025

Prediction: USC 41, Illinois 31

Pranav Hegde

Illinois looked rough in Bloomington last week, but one ugly loss doesn’t have to define a season. With a roster full of veterans, the Illini are built to respond, and a raucous homecoming crowd at Memorial Stadium gives them the perfect stage to do it against a dangerous USC squad. This matchup has all the ingredients of a shootout – the Trojans have too many weapons to stay quiet – but Illinois has the experience and toughness to handle the moment.

Prediction: Illinois 38, USC 30

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava — Sep 13, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) warms up on the sidelines during the first quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Jared Shlensky

Weeks ago, I said Illinois' biggest win of the year was going to be at home over USC. But that was before Indiana beat the snot out of the Illini last week. Illinois' defense was a trainwreck and the offense wasn't much better. I expect the Illini to be much more competitive this week – but not enough to beat the Trojans. Expect Altmyer and the offense to get back on track, but USC has one of the most explosive offenses in the country – too much to handle in this case.