USC’s climb in the latest College Football Playoff rankings has put the Trojans in a spot they can actually do something about.
After a bye week, USC moved up two places from No. 20 to No. 18 when the second CFP Top 25 was unveiled Tuesday night. That still leaves the Trojans outside the 12-team field, but it also tees up a huge chance on Saturday against No. 9 Indiana, a game that could move them much closer to the playoff picture.
The road ahead is clear enough. USC still has three games left: Indiana on Saturday, Maryland at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Nov. 21, and then the Crosstown Rivalry at the Rose Bowl against undefeated No.
4 UCLA on Nov. 28.
If the Trojans can run that table, they’ll likely punch their ticket to the Big Ten championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium on Dec. 5 in Indianapolis.
That’s the path, but it’s a steep one. Winning away from home has been a recurring problem for Riley’s USC teams, and now they have to deal with two top-10 opponents in Indiana and UCLA. The Hoosiers, coached by Curt Cignetti, are still a formidable challenge even after close calls against Michigan and Minnesota.
If USC is going to spring the upset in Bloomington, the Trojans will probably need two things to go right: Jayden Maiava keeps playing like one of the Big Ten’s most reliable quarterbacks, and Gary Patterson’s defense delivers one of its sharpest outings yet.
Maiava has been rolling through his second season as USC’s full-time starter. He has thrown for 2,524 yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions, and he’s done it with a steady hand that has made him as consistent as anyone in the conference or the country.
He won’t be doing it alone. USC will lean on a pair of standout freshmen in wide receiver Trent Mosley and tight end Mark Bowman. Mosley has emerged as the leader of a young receiving group, putting up 32 catches for 512 yards and six touchdowns.
The defense is the other side of the equation, and it’s the side that has often kept USC from reaching its biggest goals in recent years. Under Patterson, though, the unit has gotten better every week, and the Trojans will be looking for one of their best performances of the season against Indiana. Defensive ends Jide Abasiri and Luke Wafle are among the key pieces USC will count on.
Indiana’s ranking slide adds another layer to the matchup. The Hoosiers dropped from No. 4 to No. 9 despite also coming off a bye, with UCLA, Notre Dame, Texas and Tennessee all moving ahead of them. That means USC is catching Indiana at a moment when the Hoosiers have had time to reset, but also time to stew over the drop.
It also marks the third time this season the Trojans will enter a game as an underdog. They were in that spot against Oregon and Ohio State, and they split those two games. This time, DraftKings Sportsbook lists USC as a 7.5-point underdog.
Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. PT at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana, with CBS carrying the game.
In Other News...
Indiana Just Landed A Guard Hoosier Fans Will Want To Watch
Indiana added another notable name to its future backcourt with the signing of four-star guard Chase Branham from the class of 2027, a move that gives Hoosier fans an early reason to keep an eye on La Lumiere School. At 6-foot-4, Branham brings size for the position, and his arrival only adds to the sense that Indiana is trying to build its next wave with players who can fit the programs long-term plans.
Branham also arrives with some historical context attached, since he is now the 10th-highest ranked recruit Indiana has landed in the 247Sports era. In the schools official release, coach Darian DeVries highlighted both Branhams ability and his character, which is usually the kind of combination a staff hopes will translate well once the real work begins and the recruiting buzz gives way to what he can actually do in Bloomington. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Riley Just Sent Indiana A Message Before Bloomington Showdown
Lincoln Riley had plenty of praise for Indiana as USC turns its attention toward a trip to Bloomington, and the message was clear enough: this is not a matchup the Trojans can treat casually. Asked about the Hoosiers, Riley pointed to an experienced defense and the kind of coaching continuity that can make a team harder to prepare for, while also showing respect for Curt Cignettis program.
For Indiana, the compliments matter because they come with a reminder of what usually decides games at this level: which team can bring the same standard from one week to the next. Riley said consistency is the challenge, and that is exactly the sort of test the Hoosiers want in a high-profile home game, where a strong defensive identity and steady coaching should give them a chance to make USC earn everything. [Read more 🡒]
Tobi Osunsanmi May Decide Whether Indiana Can Survive USCs Attack
USC brings one of the Big Tens most dangerous passing attacks into this matchup, and Indianas best answer may come from the front line. The Trojans have leaned on quarterback Jayden Maiava to drive the offense, while the Hoosiers have built their defensive identity around getting pressure and disrupting timing before a play can fully develop.
Tobi Osunsanmi is at the center of that challenge. Indiana has to find a way to make USC uncomfortable early and often, because if Maiava settles in, the Trojans can turn a game fast through the air. The Hoosiers have shown they can defend at a high level, but this one may hinge on whether Osunsanmi and the pass rush can force USC out of rhythm before the secondary has to hold up for long stretches. [Read more 🡒]