What To Watch For In USC Trojans' High Stakes Big Ten Primetime Matchup vs. Nebraska

The No. 23 USC Trojans are set to face off against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in a high-stakes Big Ten matchup in primetime on Saturday night in Lincoln. What to watch for both USC and Nebraska entering Saturday night's primetime game.

Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) warms up prior to the game 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

The No. 23 USC Trojans will face the Nebraska Cornhuskers in primetime on Saturday night in Lincoln. The kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT from Memorial Stadium, with the game being broadcast on NBC.

The game is also set to be NBC's Big Ten Saturday Night game for week 10, with Noah Eagle and Todd Blackledge on the call. It will be the third game that USC is featured on NBC's Big Ten Saturday Night.

The Trojans are 1-1 this season when playing in NBC's primetime slot. USC won 31-13 over the No. 21 Michigan Wolverines on Oct. 11 and in week 8 fell to the No. 12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 34-24 in South Bend.

High Stakes For USC and Nebraska On Saturday Night

Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) heads on to the field for the game 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

Saturday night's primetime matchup between USC and Nebraska could be an instant classic for college football fans. There is much at stake for both teams entering a game expected to be a hostile "blackout' environment at Memorial Stadium.

Nebraska is doing everything possible to make USC feel uncomfortable in Saturday night's blackout crowd. The Cornhuskers will be debuting new black alternative uniforms against the Trojans. Nebraska's end zones and midfield logo have also been painted in black for the game.

Nebraska Aims To Earn Signature Win After Rhule Extension

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

Nebraska is looking to earn a signature win against USC and improve to 7-2 on the season with the possibility of making a late-season run at the College Football Playoff. The Cornhuskers will also look to earn their first-ever win over USC and break their 28-game losing streak against ranked opponents, which dates back to 2016.

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Nebraska coach Matt Rhule enters Saturday's game fresh off signing a two-year contract extension on Thursday that will keep him in Lincoln through the 2032 season. Rhule is 2-23 all-time against top-25 teams, and earning a win on Saturday night over a ranked USC team would be a huge confidence boost for the Cornhuskers fan base and team heading into the season.

Lincoln Riley Looks To Lead USC to a Signature Road Win

Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley celebrates after kicker Ryon Sayeri (48) hit a 54-yard field goal in the second 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

USC enters the pivotal Big Ten matchup with a 5-2 record on the season and is coming off a bye week. Before the bye week, the Trojans lost to Notre Dame on the road in a game where they failed to capitalize in crucial moments in the fourth quarter and committed costly turnovers.

Capitalizing and avoiding turnovers will be key for the Trojans against Nebraska, especially in a game that could come down to the fourth quarter. USC, earlier this week, was a 6.5-point favorite over Nebraska according to ESPN BET Sportsbook, but the line is now 4.5.

USC's hopes of making a run at the 12-team playoff are also on the line Saturday night against the Cornhuskers. A win over Nebraska would provide a much-needed boost for the Trojans before the unveiling of the first CFP rankings on Tuesday.

There is also extreme pressure on USC coach Lincoln Riley entering Saturday night's game. Riley has struggled recently to beat quality teams on the road the last three seasons, including losses to Notre Dame and Illinois this year. Both those games were winnable that the Trojans let slip away in the fourth quarter.

Riley losing this game for USC would cause extreme frustration from the Trojans' fan base, as it would end any hope of making a run at the playoff. A win would give USC momentum heading into its four remaining games, which include three home matchups against Northwestern (Nov. 8), Iowa (Nov. 15), and UCLA (Nov. 29). USC will also have another road game with playoff implications against the No. 6 Oregon Ducks on Nov. 22.

• Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. 
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