College GameDay Makes Picks For USC vs. Penn State Whiteout

The No. 19 USC Trojans enter Saturday night’s clash against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium with their College Football Playoff hopes on the line.

The Trojans will play in one of their most hostile environments this season: the Nittany Lions' annual whiteout game at Beaver Stadium, which is in primetime on NBC, with kickoff scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT.

USC Trojans Penn State Nittany Lions College Football Bg Ten Penn State Nittany Lions Wisconsin Badgers CFP aspirations — Sep 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley walks off the field after the game against the Oregon Ducks at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Trojans are currently the underdogs, despite the Nittany Lions suffering two straight losses to the Wisconsin Badgers and the Northwestern Wildcats. DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Trojans as 1.5-point underdogs against the Nittany Lions. That didn’t stop a majority of ESPN’s College GameDay crew from picking the Trojans to beat the Nittany Lions as a road underdog. Here’s a look at the GameDay crew’s picks.

ESPN College GameDay Predictions

Desmond Howard: USC
Nick Saban: USC
Pat McAfee: Penn State
Bryce Young (guest picker): USC
Kirk Herbstreit: USC

Can USC Pull Off a Statement Road Win Over Penn State?

USC Trojans Penn State Nittany Lions College Football Big Ten Jayden Maiava quarterback Corey Simms Terrell Anderson — Oct 3, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) looks to pass the ball against the Washington Huskies during the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Griffin Hooper-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Despite being underdogs and struggling on the road under coach Lincoln Riley, USC’s offense has been among the Big Ten's best this season. Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava, who is in his second season as USC’s full-time starter, enters Saturday night’s matchup against the Nittany Lions as the Big Ten’s leading passer with 1,744 yards, 15 touchdowns, and three interceptions.

Two of those three interceptions came in the Trojans' last two games against the No. 13 Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies, which could be a concern for USC’s offense against the Nittany Lions, as one turnover could be costly in a game like Saturday night’s with Penn State.

The Trojans are also depleted at wide receiver, which has always been a strength of their offense under Riley. The latest season-ending injuries to Corey Simms and Terrell Anderson are crushing blows to the Trojans' offense that will affect them in Saturday night’s game against USC.

USC Trojans Penn State Nittany Lions College Football Big Ten Lincoln Riley Jayden Maiava quarterback Terrell Anderson — Sep 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver Terrell Anderson (9) runs after a catch against the Oregon Ducks during the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A pair of freshmen, wide receiver Trent Mosley and tight end Mark Bowman, are also listed as questionable for the primetime matchup against the Nittany Lions. Their potential absence will be yet another crushing blow for the Trojans' offense.

Facing such a hostile environment on Saturday night against the Nittany Lions, it’s crucial the Trojans start fast and avoid mistakes early on in the game. In their 25-21 home win over the Washington Huskies at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Week 5, the Trojans offense got off to a slow start and even trailed by 11 early in the third quarter, before scoring 15 unanswered points to win.

This is something the Trojans can’t afford to let happen on Saturday night when they face the Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. USC looks for its first win over Penn State as a member of the Big Ten, as the two last met in 2024 in Los Angeles, a game the Nittany Lions won 33-30 in overtime.

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