Live from Los Angeles, Tommy Trojan — accompanied by his trusty steed Traveler, the Song Girls, and the Spirit of Troy — welcomes the Michigan Wolverines to the famed Coliseum for NBC’s Big Ten Saturday Night.
Once upon a time, this matchup was reserved for New Year’s Day glory — a Rose Bowl classic pitting Big Ten and Pac-12 champions in the “Granddaddy of Them All.” Fast forward to the present, and that same clash is now a midseason Big Ten conference showdown between Michigan and Southern California.
In just the second year of the Big Ten’s realignment, this marquee matchup still takes some getting used to. Yet, even without roses on the line, it remains one of the most compelling duels on the college football calendar — two historic powers meeting under the lights of LA.
Both teams enter at 4–1, each with a road loss to a Top 25 opponent. But the rankings tell a different story — Michigan sits at No. 15, while USC finds itself on the outside looking in.
Still, all is not lost for the Trojans. Though they’re lacking poll love, analytics and betting markets see things differently. According to ESPN Analytics, Southern Cal holds a 68.5% chance to defeat Michigan, and BetMGM lists the Trojans as 2.5-point favorites.
So what gives? Michigan once again boasts a physical front seven and an athletic secondary, but the defense has been vulnerable away from Ann Arbor — allowing 25.5 points per game in road contests against Oklahoma and Nebraska. That’s not exactly a shutdown stat line, and it could spell trouble against USC’s explosive attack.
Speaking of that offense, the Trojans are averaging 36.7 points per game against Big Ten opponents (Purdue, Michigan State, and Illinois). As usual, Lincoln Riley has the aerial assault firing on all cylinders behind quarterback Jayden Maiava and NFL-caliber receivers Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane.
Through five games, Maiava has thrown 11 touchdown passes to just one interception, while Lemon and Lane have combined for 867 yards and six scores — production that would make even Riley’s past Heisman contenders proud.
And this time, USC is at home — backed by the roar of nearly 90,000 fans inside the Coliseum. That environment could be daunting for Michigan’s freshman phenom, Bryce Underwood. The young signal-caller has played with remarkable poise so far, but under the bright lights of Los Angeles, this could be the night he finally looks his age.
Prediction: USC defends its home turf as the Trojans take down No. 15 Michigan, setting up a ranked-versus-ranked showdown next week in South Bend against Jeweled Shillelagh rivals Notre Dame.
Watch: No.15 Michigan vs. USC | Saturday, Oct. 11 | 7:30 PM ET | NBC
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