The final time No. 21 USC and No. 23 Illinois met it was within the Rose Bowl on New 12 months’s Day of 2008. That was when the champions of the Large Ten and Pac-10 met yearly within the sport. Now? Now it is a convention sport between two Large Ten colleges.
That sport didn’t go properly 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 sport much more essential for the Illini who do not need 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 staff 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 sport. They’re additionally the one 2-0 staff within the Large Ten getting 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 Faculty Soccer Playoff race.
USC vs. Illinois: Have to know
USC has struggled in opposition to ranked opponents: Via most of its historical past, USC has been the ranked staff beating up on the unranked, however tables have turned in recent times. The Trojans come into this sport with a 4-16 file of their final 20 video games in opposition to AP-ranked opponents. The streak predates Lincoln Riley’s arrival, however they’re nonetheless solely 4-10 below him. That is a giant change from Riley’s file at Oklahoma, the place he went 15-6 in such video games.
Illinois is coping with lots of accidents: The Illini have been banged up within the secondary heading into final week’s sport, 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 harm considerations of its personal, as star receiver Ja’Kobi Lane missed final week’s sport in opposition to Michigan State, and is questionable for this contest as properly.
The Illini are powerful to beat at dwelling: Illinois might be joyful to return to the newly-christened Gies Memorial Stadium, becuase they’re 8-1 at dwelling for the reason that begin of final season. Their solely loss got here to Minnesota final 12 months, and two of the wins they picked up have been in opposition to groups ranked on the time like USC at the moment is (Kansas and Michigan).
The place to look at USC vs. Illinois reside
Date: Saturday, Sept. 27 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Gies Memorial Stadium — Champaign, Illinois
TV: Fox | Reside stream: Fubo (Strive at no cost)
USC vs. Illinois prediction, picks
It is arduous to miss the harm considerations on Illinois’ protection contemplating how the protection carried out final week in opposition to Indiana. Whereas it is arduous to think about the Illini struggling one other lack of 50 factors or extra, it is not as troublesome to see this unit struggling to cease one of the crucial explosive offenses in faculty soccer. Choose: USC -6.5
SportsLine’s confirmed pc mannequin has simulated each Week 5 faculty soccer sport 10,000 instances. Go to SportsLine now to see all of the picks, all from the mannequin that’s 34-22 for the reason that starting of final season on top-rated money-line and over/below picks.
