The spotlight in Week 3 of Big Ten football is all over Rutgers receiver KJ Duff, and USC’s secondary is the group that has to deal with it.
The Scarlet Knights may not get elite quarterback play, but Duff has already made it clear he can carry his share of the load. He and Antwan Raymond are being talked about as players who will be playing on Sundays, and Duff, in particular, looks like the one who can turn this matchup into a problem for the Trojans. The expectation here is simple: he’ll be the most productive player Rutgers has on the field and could clear 100 yards against USC.
That’s one of several names worth tracking this week across the conference.
Bryce Underwood is coming off a strong showing against a tough Oklahoma defense, and that performance is expected to carry over. After surviving that kind of pressure last week, he should have more room to operate now. The projection is a big day for Michigan’s quarterback: 200 passing yards, more than 50 rushing yards, and three total touchdowns in another Wolverines win.
Nico Iamaleava is also lined up for a productive outing, this time against Purdue. Through the first two weeks, UCLA has been leaning on its run game, but this matchup is expected to be the one where Iamaleava takes over. The numbers forecast for him are eye-catching: 250 passing yards, 80 rushing yards, and at least three total touchdowns, the kind of performance that could push the Bruins’ confidence even higher.
Josh Hoover has already put together back-to-back games with four passing touchdowns, and there’s a belief that he’ll do it again. He’s building a case as one of the country’s best quarterbacks this season, and this week is supposed to be another reminder of that.
Then there’s Dante Moore, who is expected to answer after being outplayed by Drew Mestemaker last week. The pressure is on him to deliver a statement game, especially with next week carrying major implications. Against what is described as an inferior opponent, Moore is projected to put up 300 passing yards and four touchdowns in a performance that would give his season a much-needed jolt.
In Other News...
USC Got An Unexpected Boost At Exactly The Right Time
USC picked up a pair of timely individual honors after its win over Rutgers, with kicker Caden Chittenden earning Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week and running back Riley Wormley landing Big Ten Freshman of the Week. It was the first Big Ten weekly recognition of both players USC careers, and it came on a day when the Trojans needed clean, efficient production in key spots.
Chittenden accounted for 10 points with two field goals and four PATs, giving USC steady work in the kicking game. Wormley added a spark out of the backfield, scoring two touchdowns and finishing with 54 yards from scrimmage, the kind of contribution that can matter most as the season starts to tighten up. [Read more 🡒]
USC Won Its Big Ten Opener But A Real Concern Followed
USC opened Big Ten play with a tight win over Rutgers, moving to 4-0 overall and 1-0 in conference play, but the result came with plenty to digest beyond the final score. The Trojans got a huge lift from turnovers, including a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown by safety Prophet Brown, and those splash plays proved decisive in a game that otherwise leaned far too heavily on the offense and opportunistic moments.
The concern for Lincoln Rileys team is hard to miss after Rutgers piled up 460 yards and reached the end zone five times, exposing a defense that still has work to do. Riley pointed to the defensive issues and penalties as areas that need cleaning up, and while USC has the record it wanted entering conference play, the way it won left little doubt that better tests are ahead. [Read more 🡒]
USC Heads Into Oregon With A Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Week 3 mostly went the way Big Ten powers wanted, with a slate of comfortable wins over lesser opposition and a few performances that turned heads, including Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. throwing four touchdown passes and Nebraska running back Jamal Rule piling up 119 yards and two scores. Against that backdrop, USCs narrow escape against Rutgers in its conference opener stood out for a very different reason, especially for a team trying to settle in quickly after joining a league where every week seems to sharpen the pressure.
The Trojans got the result they needed, but the defensive issues that showed up again against Rutgers are hard to brush aside with Oregon next on the schedule. Other Big Ten contenders such as UCLA and Iowa took care of business, and the updated power rankings reflect that separation beginning to form. For USC, the concern is no longer just winning games, but whether the defense can travel well enough to survive a much tougher stretch ahead. [Read more 🡒]