USC’s first Big Ten road test of the season comes in Week 3 against Rutgers, and the Trojans are walking into a matchup that should tell us plenty about their defense. Rutgers has stumbled out of the gate, but this isn’t a team without punch on offense. Antwan Raymond and KJ Duff give the Scarlet Knights enough talent to make life uncomfortable for USC, especially with one of the Trojans’ biggest games of the season against Oregon looming next week.
That makes Saturday more than just another nonconference-style tune-up in conference clothing. USC’s freshmen will be looking to keep their momentum rolling, but the defense has to handle a real test first. If the Trojans want to head into next week with the right feel, this is the kind of game where they need a sharp, complete showing.
For fans following from home, USC vs. Rutgers will air nationally on CBS.
Brad Nessler and Charles Davis will be on the call, with Jenny Dell working the sideline. Streaming is available on CBS.com with a valid TV provider login, and fans without cable can watch through Paramount+ with a subscription to the Paramount+ Premium plan.
The game is set for Saturday, September 19, with kickoff at 12:30 P.M. PT, 3:30 P.M. ET from SHI Stadium.
USC radio coverage in Los Angeles will be on ESPN LA 710 AM beginning at 10:30 a.m. PT and will include Pete Arbogast, Shaun Cody, Su'a Cravens, Nelson Agholor, Marqise Lee, Jordan Moore, Keely Eure and Jason Schwartz, along with two-hour pregame and postgame shows.
The Trojan Tailgate Show portion of the pregame coverage starts at 10:30 a.m. PT and will broadcast live from The Peristyle.
Shaun Cody, Su'a Cravens, Nelson Agholor, Marqise Lee, Keely Eure and Jordan Moore will host, and that show will also stream on USC Athletics' Facebook, YouTube and X platforms and the USC Trojans Game Day App.
In Other News...
USC-Oregon Suddenly Hinges On One Huge Receiver Question
Jeremiah McClellans status is becoming one of the quieter but more important storylines ahead of USCs trip to Oregon. He was spotted on crutches and in a boot on his left foot before the recent game, and coach Lanning said the injury still needs more evaluation before anyone knows the full picture. For a matchup that already carries plenty of weight, any uncertainty around a receiver like McClellan changes the way the next few days feel around the Trojans.
USC may also be tracking Trent Mosley, who could be unavailable as well for the September 26 game. With both players still in question, the Trojans are left waiting on medical updates while the game plan for one of their biggest tests of the season starts to take shape. The final availability of McClellan and Mosley is still unclear, and that makes this one of the more significant status watch items on the USC side. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Got Snubbed In A Game That Deserved Bigger Attention
ESPN College GameDay will be in Knoxville for Texas-Tennessee, but the Oregon-USC matchup had more than enough juice to justify a bigger national spotlight. The game carries real weight in the Big Ten race, and it also brings together two programs with plenty of brand recognition, strong fan followings, and the kind of star power that tends to make a Saturday feel bigger than a regular conference date.
For USC, the setting only adds to the stakes, because this is the sort of game that can shape both conference standing and the broader playoff conversation. Oregon brings its own national draw, USC brings its own celebrity-heavy audience, and the matchup between them has the kind of storylines that usually earn the full pregame treatment. Instead, the Trojans are left with a marquee test that looks like one of the weekend's most compelling games, even if it won't be treated like the centerpiece it probably deserved to be. [Read more 🡒]
USC's Offense Just Put A New Concern On Display Before Oregon
A 42-35 win over Rutgers gave USC another chance to show off its offense, but it also left a few fresh questions hanging as Oregon looms. True freshman receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt led the Trojans in receiving yards, a notable development in a passing game that has had to keep adjusting around personnel changes, including the absence of Trent Mosley because of a knee injury.
Lincoln Riley said afterward that he was taking stock of both sides of the ball as the Trojans turn the page to Oregon preparation. The offense did enough to survive a shootout, but the bigger issue now is whether USC can get healthier and cleaner in time for a matchup that will demand far more margin for error. [Read more 🡒]