WHAT’S AT STAKE?
The Cornhuskers and Trojans are two of college football’s traditional powers, but their first meeting as conference foes is about trying to make a bowl game, not national title contention. Nebraska has not made the postseason each of the past two seasons under Matt Rhule and will try to reach a bowl for the first time since 2016 and end a three-game losing streak. Rhule replaced offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield with former West Virginia and Houston coach Dana Holgorsen. USC isn’t faring much better in Lincoln Riley’s third season, switching quarterbacks during an open week. With rivalry games against UCLA and Notre Dame on deck, it would be difficult to see the Trojans reaching the postseason if they can’t win this week.
KEY MATCHUP
USC QB Jayden Maiava vs. Nebraska’s defense. Maiava replaces Miller Moss as starter and is the type of quarterback the Cornhuskers struggle to control. Maiava will be the fourth of the dual-threat quarterbacks Nebraska has faced. The Cornhuskers have given up six quarterback runs of at least 10 yards, including a 57-yarder by UCLA’s Ethan Garbers in their last game.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Nebraska: QB Dylan Raiola or Heinrich Haarberg. Raiola, the program’s highest-rated recruit, has had a rough introduction to the Big Ten. He went into this week still recovering from the hard hit to his lower back that knocked him out of the UCLA game Nov. 2. Haarberg, the starter most of last season, would play if Raiola can’t. Either way, it’s not an ideal situation for an offense transitioning to a new play-caller in Holgorsen.
USC: Maiava started 14 games last season as a redshirt freshman at UNLV, throwing for 3,085 yards and 17 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. The Palolo, Hawaii native is more mobile than Moss, and the Trojans are hoping Maiava’s athleticism can make up for a shaky offensive line.
FACTS & FIGURES
USC and Nebraska have combined for 16 national championships, including 11 by the Trojans. Each school has twice won back-to-back national championships, Nebraska in 1970-71 and 1994-95 and USC in 1931-32 and 2003-04. ... The Trojans won the most recent meeting of the teams, 45-42 in the 2014 Holiday Bowl. ... USC is the only opponent Nebraska has played more than once and not defeated. ... The Trojans will wear throwback jerseys inspired by the 1972 undefeated national title team.
