The final time No. 21 USC and No. 23 Illinois met it was within the Rose Bowl on New Yr’s Day of 2008. That was when the champions of the Large Ten and Pac-10 met yearly within the recreation. Now? Now it is a convention recreation between two Large Ten faculties.
That recreation didn’t go effectively for the Illini, because the Trojans cruised to a 49-17 win. Nonetheless, that 32-point loss wasn’t as dangerous because the one the Illini suffered final week at No. 11 Indiana, the place they misplaced 63-10.
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That loss makes this recreation much more necessary for the Illini who do not wish to lose the momentum from a 10-win 2024 season and a 3-0 begin to 2025 with consecutive losses, however the Trojans current a troublesome problem. The Trojans are off to a 4-0 begin and looking out each bit just like the workforce USC hoped to be when it introduced Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma. They’ve one of the crucial explosive offenses within the nation and have scored a minimum of 33 factors in each recreation. They’re additionally the one 2-0 workforce within the Large Ten coming into the weekend, outscoring Purdue and Michigan State 78-48.
A win right here would solidify the Trojans as a risk within the Large Ten and School Soccer Playoff race.
USC vs. Illinois: Must know
USC has struggled towards ranked opponents: Via most of its historical past, USC has been the ranked workforce beating up on the unranked, however tables have turned in recent times. The Trojans come into this recreation with a 4-16 file of their final 20 video games towards AP-ranked opponents. The streak predates Lincoln Riley’s arrival, however they’re nonetheless solely 4-10 below him. That is an enormous change from Riley’s file at Oklahoma, the place he went 15-6 in such video games.
Illinois is coping with a variety of accidents: The Illini had been banged up within the secondary heading into final week’s recreation, and suffered much more accidents on the again finish as soon as the sport began. They are going to be with out All-Large Ten first-team nook Xavier Scott as soon as once more, and beginning security Matthew Bailey has been in concussion protocol this week, so his standing is in query. USC has damage considerations of its personal, as star receiver Ja’Kobi Lane missed final week’s recreation towards Michigan State, and is questionable for this contest as effectively.
The Illini are robust to beat at residence: Illinois might be glad to return to the newly-christened Gies Memorial Stadium, becuase they’re 8-1 at residence because the begin of final season. Their solely loss got here to Minnesota final 12 months, and two of the wins they picked up had been towards groups ranked on the time like USC presently is (Kansas and Michigan).
The place to look at USC vs. Illinois dwell
Date: Saturday, Sept. 27 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Gies Memorial Stadium — Champaign, Illinois
TV: Fox | Stay stream: Fubo (Attempt totally free)
USC vs. Illinois prediction, picks
It is exhausting to miss the damage considerations on Illinois’ protection contemplating how the protection carried out final week towards Indiana. Whereas it is exhausting to think about the Illini struggling one other lack of 50 factors or extra, it isn’t as troublesome to see this unit struggling to cease one of the crucial explosive offenses in school soccer. Decide: USC -6.5
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