USC Trojans Aim To Keep Impressive Streak Alive Against Nebraska

The No. 23 USC Trojans will face off against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in a high-stakes Big Ten matchup on Saturday night. USC has never lost to Nebraska. What are the biggest keys to keeping the undefeated streak against Nebraska alive?

Sep 27, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley before an NCAA football game with the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

The No. 23 USC Trojans will face off against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in a hostile "blackout" environment at Memorial Stadium on Saturday night. Not only are USC's College Football Playoff hopes on the line on Saturday night, but they also look to keep alive their undefeated streak against Nebraska.

USC's Previous Meetings Against Nebraska

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans cornerback Greedy Vance Jr. (21) celebrates after intercepting a pass against Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) for the game victory at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

USC and Nebraska have met six previous times, with the Trojans leading the series 5-1-0. The one tie in the series came in 1970, with a score of 21-21 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Since that game, the Trojans have won four straight games over the Cornhuskers.

The two programs met in 2006 and 2007 as ranked opponents, with USC winning both games by double digits. Before joining the Big Ten, USC also beat Nebraska 45-42 in the 2014 Holiday Bowl.

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In their first matchup as Big Ten schools, the Trojans beat the Cornhuskers 28-20 at the Coliseum. USC quarterback Jayden Maiava made his first career start in that win last season for the Trojans, throwing for 259 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception on 25-of-35 passing.

USC is UNDEFEATED against Nebraska, but a new chapter is written this Saturday. #B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/o2cd8KKq3R

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) October 28, 2025

Quarterback Duel Between Jayden Maiava and Dylan Raiola Highlights Pivotal Big Ten Matchup

Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws a pass in the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Entering Saturday night's matchup, one of the biggest keys for USC to keep its undefeated streak alive against Nebraska will be the quarterback duel between Dylan Raiola and Maiava. USC's defense will look to force Raiola to commit turnovers, like they did in last season's matchup against the Cornhuskers.

In the game against USC last season, Raiola threw for 191 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions on 27-of-38 passing. This season for Nebraska, Raiola has experienced his fair share of highs and lows at quarterback with 1,909 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and six interceptions.

Sep 20, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) looks to pass against the Michigan Wolverines during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Earning a statement home win against Maiava and the Trojans would be huge for the Raiola's confidence heading into the final stretch of the season. The same can be said about Maiava, who is looking to guide USC through a difficult five-game stretch to end the regular season that starts against the Cornhuskers on Saturday night.

What a Win Would Mean For USC and Nebraska

Oct 18, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane (8) breaks a tackle by Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Tae Johnson (9) during the second half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

USC and coach Lincoln Riley aim to earn a signature quality road win on Saturday night against Nebraska, something that they have struggled to accomplish the last two seasons. Riley is also looking to improve his record over Nebraska coach Matt Rhule. Riley is 5-1 against Rhule in their six matchups against each other.

A win for the Trojans would be a huge momentum boost for USC's playoff resume, as they have a difficult schedule remaining that includes home games against Northwestern (Nov. 7), Iowa (Nov. 15), and UCLA (Nov. 29). The Trojans will also have a challenging road test against the No. 6 Oregon Ducks in Eugene on Nov. 22.

The same can be said for Nebraska, as if they pull off the upset win over USC, they'll have a favorable path to finish the season with a 10-2 record. Nebraska has lost 28 straight games against top 25 opponents, with its last win coming against No. 22 Oregon in 2016.

After playing the Trojans, the Cornhuskers will face UCLA (Nov. 8) and Nebraska (Nov. 22) on the road, as well as a crucial home game in their regular season finale against Iowa on Nov. 28.