What Nick Saban Said About USC Trojans, Lincoln Riley on ESPN's College GameDay

Before the No. 21 USC Trojans face off against the No. 23 Illinois Fighting Illini, legendary college coach Nick Saban had some mixed reviews for USC and the Trojans defense. What did Saban have to say about USC coach Lincoln Riley?

Nick Saban is on stage at ESPN College GameDay ahead of the University of Oklahoma-Michigan College football game on Sep 6, 2025 in Norman. | Steve Sisney/For The Oklahoman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Before the No. 21 USC Trojans kicked off against the No. 23 Illinois Fighting Illini, ESPN's College GameDay previewed the ranked matchup while the popular show is at Penn State for the Nittany Lion's top-ranked matchup against the Oregon Ducks.

In a brief segment, GameDay host Rece Davis talked about USC's travels after facing the Purdue Boilermakers on the road, followed by a late kickoff at home against the Michigan State Spartans, and then an early kickoff against Illinois in week 5.

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Missouri State Bears in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

What Nick Saban Said About USC on ESPN's College GameDay

Despite the complicated logistics surrounding USC and a 9 a.m. PT (11 a.m. local) game time, legendary college football coach Nick Saban was more focused on the Trojans' defense.

"One of the other things about USC, the question has always been their defense. And this year their defense has 16 sacks. They're very athletic, they make a lot of negative plays. Are they physical enough to hold up against the more physical running teams will be the big question for them," Saban said.

In response, GameDay analyst Kirk Herbstreit talked about USC coach Lincoln Riley and the hire of defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn:

"Lincoln Riley, that's been a knock on him and his team since Oklahoma, right? I mean, they're scoring on everybody, but this defense. D'Anton Lynn land is doing a great job right now. We'll see if they can keep that going after all that travel," Herbstreit said.

Pat McAfee, right, talks to Kirk Herbstreit on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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At the end of the conversation, Saban brought up a rather interesting point from his perspective as a head coach.

"You know, with these fastball, spread teams, I interviewed lots of guys through the years, and the way they wanna practice does not always enhance a good way to develop defense. So, I was always concerned about that," Saban said.

Before the end of the show, both Herbstreit and Saban picked USC to win. Only co-host Desmond Howard picked Illinois to upset the Trojans.

Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws against the Michigan State Spartans during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

USC vs. Illinois Betting Odds

According to DraftKings, USC is favored by 6.5 points over Illinois. After the Fighting Illini were decimiated by the Indiana Hoosiers in week 4, the Trojans are expected to take care of business on the road in spite of the early kickoff.

Will USC have enough to get it done against Illinois? The Fighting Illini were considered a 'dark horse' contender to compete for a Big Ten title, but two conference losses before the end of September would effectively eliminate Illinois from any chance at a conference championship.

The Trojans, on the other hand, are looking to protect their undefeated record before a bye week. When USC returns to play, they'll host No. 19 Michigan followed by a road trip to No. 22 Notre Dame.

• Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. 
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