USC Trojans Stars Shine Brightly in NFL Prime Time

A week after Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and his team took down the Seattle Seahawks and quarterback Sam Darnold in a battle of former USC Trojans stars on Monday Night Football, Williams and the Bears will be back in prime time for week 9 of the NFL season.

As for Seattle, the Seahawks will face Arizona in week 9. The next time that Darnold is scheduled for a prime time matchup? Week 13 on Monday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys.

Caleb Williams Back on Prime Time

chicago bears caleb williams prime time tampa bay buccaneers seattle seahawks sam darnold quarterback usc trojans nfl — Nov 2, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; ; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) leaves the field after defeating the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Sunday marks the third consecutive game that Williams and the Bears will play on prime time TV. Chicago beat the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime, followed by a win over Darnold and Seattle on ESPN's Monday Night Football in week 8.

Now, all eyes will again be on Williams and the Bears as Chicago takes on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov. 8 on NBC's Sunday Night Football.

Williams was one of college football's brightest stars while playing for coach Lincoln Riley at both Oklahoma and USC, eventually becoming the eighth Trojan to win the Heisman Trophy in 2022. He went on to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of USC, and Williams has become one of the faces of the NFL.

According to ESPN analytics, Chicago has a 62.6 percent chance of beating Tampa Bay and advancing to 7-2 on the season, but Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is expected to return against Chicago after dislocating his thumb.

After Chicago's third straight game on prime time TV, Williams and the Bears will not be back in a stand-alone window until Dec. 19, when the NFL starts to play games on Saturdays.

Chicago Bears vs. Seattle Seahawks Recap

Williams and the Bears got the best of Darnold and the Seahawks, beating Seattle 34-17 on Monday, Nov. 2. In the duel of former USC Trojans quarterbacks, Williams completed 24 of 34 passes for 247 yards and one touchdown, and he finished with a QBR of 68.1.

On the other hand, Darnold completed 17 of 34 pass attempts for 188 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Darnold's QBR was 31.2, and his tendency to turn the ball over has continued to hurt Seattle this season.

Chicago jumped out to an early lead, but Seattle battled back to make it a one-possession game at halftime, 13-9. However, Williams and the Bears outscored Darnold and the Seahawks 21-8 in the second half, ultimately picking up the win.

The two former Trojans used to be divisional rivals when Darnold played for the Minnesota Vikings, but he has since won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks. In Darnold's second season in Seattle, the Seahawks are not quite having the same amount of success.

Before winning the Super Bowl, Darnold and the Seahawks finished the regular season with three losses. However, the loss to the Chicago Bears in prime time marked Seattle's fourth loss of the season already.

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