Just when it seemed like USC was finished, and a new era would soon start with Lincoln Riley all but gone after an ugly 24-7 loss at Wisconsin, a funny thing happened – the Trojans rolled Ohio State 30-18.
And now, at 7-2, with high-profile dates remaining against CFP No. 9 Indiana and No. 8 UCLA, No. 18 USC all but controls its own path to the CFP – a 10-2 Trojan team with two top-ten wins in the final three games wouldn’t be a lock to get in, but … yeah, it would be.
But Indiana is still pretty good. It’s 8-1, this close to being 9-0, and even though the schedule hasn’t been a killer, if it keeps winning, all will be just fine. But lose this, and the pressure will be on to avoid a slip over the last two weeks.
USC vs Indiana: Quick Hits
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Indiana travels to Washington after this before finishing with the rivalry date against Purdue.
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USC hosts Maryland after this before the showdown at UCLA.
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It’s just the fifth meeting ever, and the first since USC joined the Big Ten. The Trojans are 4-0, including the 1968 Rose Bowl.
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How To Watch USC vs Indiana
Date: Saturday, November 14, 2026
Game Time: 3:30 PM ET
TV: CBS
Location: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN
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Why USC Will Win
Plenty of things have to go right. USC has the punting to own the field position game, there can’t be a slew of turnovers, and Indiana has to keep struggling.
The only way to put it is that it’s like the Hoosiers forgot how to score. The offense is moving a bit, but it hasn’t scored more than 20 points in regulation since early October.
The USC passing game continues to be good enough. The ground game might be hit-or-miss, but Jayden Maiava is a smart, tough veteran who keeps hitting his throws for the Big Ten’s best offense on third downs.
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Why Indiana Will Win
Indiana got a week off to reset at just the right time.
No, it’s not playing nearly as well offensively as it did last year. No, it doesn’t have that dominant mode, and it certainly doesn’t have the same passing game. And yet it’s still 8-1 – this bunch finds ways to win.
For all of the issues on offense, the defense continues to be outstanding. The run D is the fourth-best in the nation, allowing just 2.3 yards per carry overall with no touchdowns in the last three games. USC might throw well, but it wasn’t all that long ago that the ground game was stuffed for -18 yards by Wisconsin.
USC vs Indiana Prediction, Betting Lines
Is Grant Wilson up to the gig, or will Josh Hoover get the nod as he fights through an injury? No matter who ends up under center, he’ll be fine against a USC defense that’s been hit hard by injuries.
Indiana’s offense – even without banged up star RB Turbo Richard – will be a bit more effective than it was against Ohio State, Michigan, or Minnesota, but it’ll be the defensive front and run defense that keeps the good season going.
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Indiana 26, USC 17
Latest Consensus Line: Indiana -9.5, o/u: 50.5
ATS Confidence (out of 5): 2
Must See Rating (out of 5): 4.5
Consensus line based on BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
