The cool crisp air of November is well in season, and with it the annual struggles of Nebraska football. Despite a 5-1 record and a growing sense of optimism going into the back half of the season, the Huskers have collapsed, losing three consecutive contests to then No. 16 Indiana, No. 4 Ohio State and a frustrating 27-20 defeat to UCLA at home.
NU is now 0-7 under head coach Matt Rhule with a chance to secure bowl eligibility, and that desperation has sparked change into a vibe defining game against USC in Los Angeles. Nebraska has failed to win a game under Rhule when the opponent has scored more than 14 points, highlighting how putrid the offense has been.
A lowly 22 points per game in conference play put Marcus Satterfield under fire, and that turned into a blaze as Rhule brought in former Houston and West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen to take a look at the offense. It was enough for Rhule to demote Satterfield and name Holgorsen the new offensive coordinator and play caller for the final three games of the season to ignite a spark.
Fans were clamoring for change, and they got it. Going against a USC team with limited playmakers at the line of scrimmage, Saturday’s afternoon battle in L.A. will give a preview on the impact this drastic change made.
Here’s all you need to know as the Huskers are set to take on the Trojans.
How to Follow Along
USC Scout
Head Coach: Lincoln Riley | 3rd season | 23-13 USC Record; 78-23 Career Record | Big 12 Coach OTY (2018), AP Big 12 Coach OTY (2018), Broyles Award (2015) | 4x CFP Appearances (‘17, ‘18, ‘19, ‘20), 4x Big 12 Championships (‘17, ‘18, ‘19, ‘20) | Former Head Coach at Oklahoma, posting a 55-10 record.
2023 Record: 8-5 (5-4 Pac-12, T-4th) | 1x All-American | 2x All-Pac-12 First Team, 1x All-Pac-12 Second Team, 8x All-Pac-12 Honorable Mentions | 42-28 W vs. Louisville in the Holiday Bowl.
All-Time Series: USC leads 4-0-1 (2014 Holiday Bowl last meeting, 45-42 USC).
Fun Fact: The two schools have combined for 16 national championships, including 11 by the Trojans and five by Nebraska. Each school has twice won back-to-back national titles, including Nebraska (1970-71; 1994-95) and USC (1931-32; 2003-04).
Key Returners: Miller Moss, QB, R-Jr. | Quinten Joyner, RB, R-Fr. | Makai Lemon, WR, Soph. | Zachariah Branch, WR, Soph. | Ja’Kobi Lane, WR, Soph. | Kyron Hudson, WR, R-Jr. | Duce Robinson, WR, Soph. | Lake McRee, TE, R-Jr. | Jaylin Smith, CB, Sr. | Eric Gentry, LB, Sr. | Braylan Shelby, DE, Soph. | Zion Branch, S, R-Soph. | Devan Thompkins, DT, R-Soph. | Emmanuel Pregnon, OG, R-Sr. | Jonah Monheim, C, R-Sr. | Mason Murphy, OL, R-Jr.
Key Additions: Jayden Maiava, QB, R-Soph. (UNLV) | Woody Marks, RB, R-Sr. (Mississippi State) | Kyle Ford, WR, R-Sr. (UCLA) | Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, LB, Sr. (Oregon State) | Mason Cobb, LB, R-Sr. (Oklahoma State) | Akili Arnold, S, R-Sr. (Oregon State) | Kamari Ramsey, S, R-Sr. (UCLA) | Greedy Vance Jr., CB, R-Sr. (Florida State) | Gavin Meyer, DT, R-Sr. (Wyoming) | DeCarlos Nicholson, CB, R-Sr. (Mississippi State) | Kameryn Fountain, DE, Fr. (Recruit).
Key Departures: Caleb Williams, QB (Chicago Bears, No. 1 Overall) | Calen Bullock, DB (Houston Texans, 3rd Round) | MarShawn Lloyd, RB (Green Bay Packers, 3rd Round) | Jarrett Kingston, OL (San Francisco 49ers, 6th Round) | Brenden Rice, WR (LA Chargers, 7th Round) | Solomon Byrd, DE (Houston Texans, 7th Round) | Tahj Washington, WR (Miami Dolphins, 7th Round) | Austin Jones, RB (Eligibility) | Mario Williams, WR, Jr. (Tulane) | Dorian Singer, WR, Sr. (Utah) | Justin Dedich, OL (Eligibility) |
Outlook: If there’s any team in the country that could reflect Nebraska, it would be USC. From last-minute blunders to unnecessary drama in post-game press conferences, it has been a season to forget for third-year head coach Lincoln Riley. Being paid a reportedly $10 million a year, Riley has seen the program get worse every year in his tenure, with 2024 marking a new low. However, the Trojans have routinely been called the best 4-5 team in the country with all five losses being by one possession and a combined total of 19 points.
Coming off a brilliant performance in last season’s win over Louisville in the Holiday Bowl, Miller Moss earned the starting job after the departure of No. 1 overall NFL draft pick Caleb Williams. Moss has done an okay job running the offense, completing nearly 65% of his passes for 2,555 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions. But Riley found his offense struggling enough that he pulled the trigger to start backup Jayden Maiava this weekend against the Huskers. Maiava, a transfer from UNLV, was once committed to Georgia before flipping to the Trojans. The big difference between the two signal throwers is the run threat from Maiava, who used that to his advantage in leading the Rebels to a 9-4 record last season in the Mountain West.
Maiava will teammate up with leading back and Mississippi State transfer Woody Marks in the backfield. Marks has gained 878 yards on the season with a 5.7 yards per rush average along with nine touchdowns. Quinten Joyner will also see reps and has big play ability with 8.4 rush average on 42 carries with three scores.
Despite the struggle in recruiting the trenches, Riley hasn’t had any problem in the skill positions and that’s highlighted with a core of pass catches who are all homegrown. Makai Lemon leads the bunch with 448 yards on 33 catches with three touchdowns. 2023 All-American Zachariah Branch is one of the most explosive athletes in the country. He has 404 yards on 35 catches this season, but has yet to break out a kick or punt return touchdown this season. Ja’Kobi Lane (368 yards), Kyron Hudson (322 yards) and Duce Robinson (229 yards) round out the group. Eight players have recorded at least 189 yards through the air.
Riley finally smartened up and fired former defensive coordinator Alex Grinch after last season’s awful defensive performance, ponying up two million per year to poach D’Anton Lynn from cross-town rival UCLA. The Trojans have improved in all areas, but still struggle against the pass ranking 96th in pass defense (237.3 PYPG). Special teams hasn’t been as dangerous as Riley and USC has wanted with the dynamic playmaking of Branch as the Trojans rank 100th in punt return while being 129th in kick return defense.
Oregon State transfer linebacker Easton Arnold-Mascarenas leads the team in tackles (74) with a pair of sacks and interceptions. Mason Cobb, a veteran linebacker from Oklahoma State, is second on the team with 52 tackles and two picks. The best attribute in Lynn’s first USC defense is on third down, where the Trojans rank second in the conference and 19th in the country in only allowing teams to convert 31.9% of the time.
This is a fascinating game from all angles. The loser could end up being the ultimate disappointment of the Big Ten conference for the 2024 season, and carry the weight of a dismal season as the early signing and transfer portal period looms. Both teams recognize the importance of this game, prompting each coach to make changes on a major level within the program.
One area that could be the decider will be the line of scrimmage, with USC still unequipped to deal with the trench play of its new conference, but the Huskers have shown how human they’ve become. Neither team can afford a loss, and you’re going to see that in their play. It’s hard not to pick the Trojans, who have stayed as a consistent favorite in the betting lines. From a Nebraska perspective, playing a new quarterback is always going to be tough, especially one that is mobile, a style that has wrecked NU over the years. Call it a Trojans win, and the fight for bowl eligibility will extend for Nebraska.
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