USC vs. Nebraska Preview & Prediction (CollegeFootballNews.com)

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https://collegefootballnews.com/college-football/usc-vs-nebraska-prediction-preview-2025

USC vs. Nebraska Prediction: Who Wants to Stay in the Big Ten Hunt?
by Pete Fiutak, CollegeFootballNews.com

This showdown of superpowers -- at least they were up until a decade ago -- is effectively an elimination game in the Big Ten title chase.

USC lost two of its last three, but three of the last four games are at home, around a road trip to Oregon. First, it has to step up its all-around play and firmly establish itself as the fourth-best team in the Big Ten.

Lose, and the Lincoln Riley hot seat talk will kick in.

Nebraska is 6-2 and bowl eligible -- that's a big deal considering the issues over the last few years -- but it's looking for more. With winnable road games at UCLA and Penn State next, there's a shot to stay alive for an at-large College Football Playoff spot with a win.

USC at Nebraska
Saturday, November 1 - 7:30 PM (ET) - NBC

Why USC Will Win
The Nebraska passing game is still fine, but it hasn't been rolling like it should, failing to get to 200 yards in three of the last four games. It's more about being steady than explosive.

It's partly because of an offensive line that's having a tough time keeping star quarterback Dylan Raiola from getting hit. The pressure applied isn't directly leading to problems, but the offense has turned it over five times in the last two games.

USC's pass rush has cooled a wee bit lately, but the pressure in the Michigan game was a big part of the 31-13 win. The two times it didn't generate at least two sacks were in the two losses to Illinois and Notre Dame, and Nebraska allows 3.6 sacks per game.

The other key is the Trojan ground game. It didn't work against Notre Dame, but it's been terrific in Big Ten play, ripping off well over six yards per carry. Get running against the Nebraska defensive front, and it's all but over.

Why Nebraska Will Win
Nebraska has to get its own running game working.

Raiola is fantastic, but the Huskers are far better when they're able to do a little something on the ground. This is hardly the Big Red Machine of old, but as long as the running attack is merely functional, everything else tends to work.

Again with the losses to Michigan and Minnesota, Nebraska failed to do anything on the ground in the two worst rushing production days.

The Huskers aren't even close to Notre Dame offensively, but the Irish were able to rumble on the Trojan defensive front. Illinois busted off enough decent runs to be productive in its win, and Nebraska has to do the same.

Get to at least 4.5 yards per carry, and the Huskers should be able to pull this off, but ......

What Will Happen
.....Nebraska's offensive line will be overwhelmed by the rested USC defensive front.

The Trojans haven't been great on the road, but the pass rush will be in Raiola's face throughout, and the run defense won't get shredded.

Nebraska was stuffed cold in losses to Michigan and Minnesota, and that won't happen here. However, the offense won't keep up after USC heats up.

Prediction
USC 30, Nebraska 24

Spread
USC is favored on the road by 6.5 points

 

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Other Big Ten picks for Week #10

INDIANA (-21.5) at MARYLAND
The Terps have the exact style to pull this off. To have any shot at Indiana, you have to win up front. Maryland can do that. You also can’t make mistakes, and the Terps don’t have a problem with penalties and take the ball away in bunches. Indiana’s two toughest games were its two road dates at Oregon and Cockeye, and this will be the same. It has to be razor-sharp, or else. It’ll be the same Maryland playbook from the last few weeks. It’ll have everything there for the taking, and then it’ll lose a fourth straight game in the fourth quarter. But unlike the other three games, it won’t be in the final moments. Indiana 34, Maryland 17

MICHIGAN STATE at MINNESOTA (-3)
Michigan State is at the let-it-rip point of desperation. It’s not playing as poorly as Wisconsin, and it’s a better team than Purdue. It’s way, way, WAY overdue to put together a good overall performance for a full 60 minutes, but Minnesota is too strong at home. The Gopher lines won’t be as good as they were against Nebraska, but it’ll be a night-and-day different story than the nightmare at Cockeye. Minnesota 27, Michigan State 17

PENN STATE at OHIO STATE (-20.5)
How can Penn State pull this off? It has to get a whale of a game out of the defensive line, the ground attack has to take over from the start, and … The Ohio State defense continues to be incredible, and it’ll be rested. Penn State is awful at controlling the clock and moving the chains, Ohio State is No. 1 in the nation in third down conversions, and … The Buckeyes will get pressed for about 15 minutes, and then the dam will break. Ohio State 34, Penn State 10

PURDUE at MICHIGAN (-21)
Run, rinse, repeat. Michigan won’t do anything crazy here. It’ll lean on the running game that doesn’t always take over games, but it’ll rumble past 45 carries for just the third time this season. Purdue’s offense will produce enough to make the Wolverines keep working, but over the long haul, the difference in line play will take over. Three Purdue turnovers will end any hope of pulling off the shocker. Michigan 34, Purdue 16

RUTGERS at ILLINOIS (-12.5)
There isn’t enough of a Rutgers pass rush to matter, Altmyer should go off, and what pass rush Illinois has won’t have too much of an issue getting to Kaliakmanis. The two passing games should push for at least 700 combined yards, but the Illini running game will be the difference later in the game. Illinois 38, Rutgers 26

 

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College football predictions for Oklahoma vs. Tennessee, Vanderbilt vs. Texas, more Week 10 picks

CBS Sports experts Brad Crawford and Chris Hummer reveal their predictions for the weekend's 10 biggest games

www.cbssports.com

CBS picks on the game

No. 23 USC (-6.5) at Nebraska

Chris Hummer:
This is a fun, playoff elimination game in early November between two proud programs. Nebraska's pass defense is one of the best in the FBS, ranking fourth nationally in opposing passer rating. USC, for its part, leads the FBS in passing yards per game. This is strength on strength. To me, this game will come down to Dylan Raiola. He's done a really good job this year of playing largely mistake-free football. But Nebraska is going to have to SCORE to keep up with USC. Can the Huskers put up enough points? On a cold Saturday night in Lincoln, I think the Huskers could do at least enough to cover......USC 31, Nebraska 28

Brad Crawford:
Count me out as a Nebraska believer. I thought this team had a shot to win 10 games this season under Matt Rhule, but that road loss to Minnesota a few weeks ago revealed a lot. It was sandwiched between one-possession wins over Maryland and Northwestern. Nebraska is a team that seems to be just getting by during Big Ten play. USC is explosive and should deliver unless giveaways happen on the road. USC 24, Nebraska 17