A pair of undefeated Big Ten teams meet in Los Angeles this weekend as No. 25 USC hosts Michigan State in a late-night clash. Fans in East Lansing will need to have several cups of coffee at the ready for this 11 p.m. kickoff.
The Trojans have come out of the gates firing, opening conference play with a 33-17 win over Purdue last weekend. Leading the way in Lincoln Riley’s fourth season at USC is quarterback Jayden Maiava, who can keep working his way into the Heisman Trophy conversation with a big performance against the Spartans. Maiava is off to a scorching start with big-play threats Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, who will be difficult for Michigan State to contain.
Michigan State also has a zero in the loss column, but its perfect record hasn’t come quite as comfortably. The Spartans needed overtime to beat Boston College in Week 2 before handling Youngstown State last weekend. The key for Michigan State in this colossal matchup is going to be Aidan Chiles. If the junior quarterback is going to take a leap forward this fall, now would be the time to do it. In this one, Chiles and the offense may have to carry the Spartans because the pass defense has been rather shaky.
As USC and Michigan State prepare for “Big Ten After Dark,” here is how all the night owls can tune into what should be an entertaining nightcap.
Where to watch USC vs. Michigan State live
Date: Saturday, Sept. 20 | Time: 11 p.m. ET
Location: LA Memorial Coliseum — Los Angeles, California
TV: Fox | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
USC vs. Michigan State: Need to know
First meeting in 35 years: Realignment certainly has its share of drawbacks, but it has given us matchups fans haven’t seen in a long time. That will be the case on Saturday when the Trojans and Spartans meet for the first time since the Sun Bowl in 1990. Michigan State won a 17-16 rock fight that day to tie the all-time series at 4-4. As a matter of fact, the Spartans are riding a three-game winning streak against the Trojans thanks to two wins in the 1987 season. Michigan State defeated USC in the season-opener before winning a rematch in the Rose Bowl.
Jayden Maiava’s blistering start: It appears Lincoln Riley has found his quarterback in Los Angeles. Maiava has been shredding defenses through the first three games, and he leads the Big Ten with 989 yards passing. He’s also thrown six touchdowns to zero interceptions while adding a pair of scores on the ground. Now, Maiava hasn’t exactly faced a murderer’s row of opposing defenses, but he may not get too much resistance this weekend. Michigan State ranks 116th in the country with 273.3 passing yards allowed per game.
Aidan Chiles must limit turnovers: Whether it was throwing the ball to the other team or putting it on the turf, Chiles was far too reckless last season. If Michigan State is going to take a win back to East Lansing, those turnovers issues can’t manifest on Saturday. Through the first three games of the season, Chiles has looked better in that area. He did lose a fumble in the season-opener, and he threw an interception last weekend, but it’s an improvement over leading the conference in interceptions last fall. Chiles has to play a clean game because giving the USC offense short fields would be a recipe for disaster.
USC vs. Michigan State prediction, pick
Given the late kickoff time, this has potential to get a little weird. The USC offense — with the exception of some stalled drives last weekend — has been humming. Aidan Chiles has the ability to make some spectacular plays, but he also has a penchant for putting the ball in harm’s way. The Trojans’ defense does look improved, but Michigan State will be the biggest test its faced so far. Meanwhile, Michigan State’s defense looks quite vulnerable to this point. If everyone is going to be this late, it may as well be fun. Pick: Over 56.5 points.
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