Overview

• No. 21 USC (4-0) visits No. 23 Illinois (3-1) on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET in Champaign, with FOX carrying the game and Big Noon Kickoff broadcasting live from the stadium.
• Sportsbooks list USC as a 6.5-point favorite with the total around 59.5, and national models broadly project a Trojans edge.
• Lincoln Riley said the shift from last week’s late-night finish to this week’s early start poses preparation challenges for a West Coast team navigating Big Ten travel.
• USC’s offense has surged behind QB Jayden Maiava’s turnover-free start, while defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn called recent coverage busts “completely unacceptable.”
• Illinois is regrouping after a 63-10 loss to Indiana and enters with secondary injuries, including All–Big Ten corner Xavier Scott out and safety Matthew Bailey in concussion protocol.