Five Interesting Games to Watch During USC Trojans' Bye Week

The USC Trojans are on a bye during week 9 of the college football slate, meaning fans can scout USC's next opponent, the Nebraska Huskers, face off against a scrappy Northwestern Wildcats team. Meanwhile, the UCLA Bruins will face the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers.

Oct 11, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) walks the sidelines during the first half against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans have a bye on Saturday, Oct. 25, so how should Trojans fans go about the college football schedule for week 9?

Exciting Big Ten matchups like UCLA vs. No. 2 Indiana as well as Northwestern vs. Nebraska will be on at 9 a.m. PT, the same time as No. 8 Ole Miss against No. 13 Oklahoma. What else should interest USC fans on Saturday?

Northwestern vs. Nebraska, 9 a.m. PT

For avid followers of USC, fans can enjoy ESPN's College GameDay (or even the final hour) before checking out the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the Trojans' next opponent.

Oct 11, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule walks the field before the game against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Before USC travels to Nebraska, the Cornhuskers host a Northwestern team that has jumped out to a 5-2 start. Can the Wildcats continue to surprise with an upset win over the Cornhuskers? Should Nebraska survive, the stakes of the impending prime time matchup with USC are only amplified.

The Cornhuskers have already announced a "black out" in Memorial Stadium when the Trojans come into town on Nov. 1.

UCLA vs. No. 2 Indiana, 9 a.m. PT

The UCLA Bruins have become one of the best stories in college football since the firing of coach DeShaun Foster, as interim coach Tim Skipper alongside play caller Jerry Neuheisel have the Bruins winning three consecutive games.

The No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers made a statement on the road against the No. 6 Oregon Ducks, and Indiana coach Curt Cignetti made it clear that the Hoosiers were not taking the Bruins lightly. According to DraftKings, Indiana is favored by 25.5 points over UCLA.

UCLA's assistant head coach Jerry Neuheisel adjusts his headset during the third quarter in the game against Michigan State on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Can the Bruins find a way to spoil Indiana's perfect season on the road, or do the Hoosiers continue to roll? Either way, Saturday's game has new intrigue thanks to a revitalized UCLA team.

No. 8 Ole Miss vs. No. 13 Oklahoma, 9 a.m. PT

It's a rather crowded 9 a.m. window on Saturday with one of the weekend's biggest matchups taking place in the morning. No. 8 Ole Miss are coming off a road loss to No. 5 Georgia, and the Rebels will have to bounce back quickly against No. 13 Oklahoma.

The Sooners fell to 6-1 with an upset loss to the Texas Longhorns in the Red River Rivalry, and Oklahoma's upcoming schedule features No. 17 Tennessee, No. 4 Alabama, No. 15 Missouri, and No. 20 LSU. The Ole Miss game was already important for the Sooners, but the margin of error for Oklahoma's College Football Playoff Chances is already slim.

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No. 15 Missouri vs. No. 10 Vanderbilt

Both No. 15 Missouri and No. 10 Vanderbilt are fighting to earn the respect as a top team in the SEC, and their anticipated matchup has garnered a visit from ESPN's College GameDay. Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia is exciting to watch and the Commodores can make a run at the postseason if they can get past Missouri.

The Tigers, on the other hand, are looking to break through under coach Eli Drinkwitz.

ESPN Analytics gives Vanderbilt a slight edge in this one with a 55.1-percent chance of beating Missouri.

Oct 18, 2025; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) prior to the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

No. 3 Texas A&M vs. No. 20 LSU

While some Trojans fans might be curious to see how No. 23 Illinois performs on the road against the Washington Huskies, one of the best games of the week will be in Death Valley as No. 20 LSU hosts No. 3 Texas A&M.

How serious of contenders are the Aggies and coach Mike Elko? Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed has a chance to become a household name a stage to make his case for the Heisman Trophy.

On the other side, LSU is reeling with two losses through mid-October, and the Tigers have No. 4 Alabama and No. 13 Oklahoma remaining on the schedule. Can the Tigers spoil Texas A&M's perfect season, or will the seat under LSU coach Brian Kelly start to seriously heat up?

• Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. 
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