USC Faces No. 23 Illinois Saturday

No. 21 USC (4–0) travels to face No. 23 Illinois on Saturday, Sept. 27; kickoff is 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET (11 a.m. CT) and the game will air on FOX with streaming options available. The matchup is a key early Big Ten test as USC looks to build resume wins in a brutal upcoming gauntlet of ranked opponents. Coach Lincoln Riley has singled out the cross‑country early kickoff as a major challenge and said the staff is managing practice, recovery and travel to keep the roster fresh. USC’s offense has been powered by QB Jayden Maiava and a deep running back room, and WR Ja’Kobi Lane returned to practice this week though his game status is listed as “inconclusive.” Illinois is trying to rebound after a 63–10 loss and will present a physical, balanced test for the Trojans’ defense.