The Nebraska Cornhuskers head into southern California to take on the USC Trojans on Saturday. What are some things to note before the two teams play in the LA Coliseum?
A New Quarterback
Miller Moss is officially out as USC’s starting quarterback. After losing the past five games, head coach Lincoln Riley announced that sophomore UNLV transfer Jaden Maiava will lead the Trojans’ offense. This change should bring a spark to Josh Henson’s struggling offense. In just one season with the Rebels, he passed for 3,085 yards and 17 touchdowns. And when Maiava needs to, he can make plays on the run at any time. The Hawaii native rushed for 277 yards and three touchdowns at UNLV. He hasn’t had many opportunities to showcase his skills at USC. However, this should change against Nebraska. Tony White’s defense has struggled to defend mobile quarterbacks this season. In NU’s home loss to UCLA, senior quarterback Ethan Garbers gashed the Blackshirt defense for 56 yards. If they are going to contain Maiava, the Cornhuskers defensive line will have to play disciplined football. We should also expect Rob Dvoracek to put linebackers on the field that can spy on him. In this regard, John Bullock and Deshon Singleton seem like good choices. They combined for 17 stops against the Bruins.
excited to be back in the Coli this weekend for homecoming! ‼️🏟️✌️
🗓️ This Saturday 11/16
⌚️ 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET
📺 FOX
🏟️ @lacoliseum
📻 @ESPNLosAngeles + @SIRIUSXM pic.twitter.com/GEv1mEeHfb— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) November 15, 2024
NU’s New Offense
Dana Holgorsen was hired to fix Nebraska’s struggling offense. So far, it seems like the gamble has paid off. In his Thursday press conference, Matt Rhule said that his time with Nebraska’s coaching staff has been seamless. His arrival has also generated enthusiasm amongst the players. However, there’s only one problem. The former head coach doesn’t have enough time to implement all of his plays. Some ideas will be his, but Marcus Satterfield’s fingerprints still are on the offense. This seems like a major step back for the program. But it isn’t. The Huskers can use his plays to explore Dylan Raiola’s deep ball ability. In this area, things haven’t gone according to plan. So far this season, he’s thrown 10 interceptions to just 8 touchdowns. But once in a while, he shows glimpses of why he was such a talented prospect. He’s been able to form a special connection with freshman wideout Jacory Barney in the jet sweep game. Isaiah Neyor’s big frame has also been an asset in the red zone. Holgorsen just needs to help him unlock Nebraska’s weapons against USC.
Read more about Holgorsen’s resume in What Does Dana Holgorsen Bring To Nebraska’s Offense?
The Trojans Weapons
Lincoln Riley’s USC squad has no shortage of skill players. Sophomore wide receiver Zachariah Branch headlines the Trojans offense with 404 receiving yards on 35 targets. Junior Kyron Hudson also stands out as a deep threat. He has 322 receptions and two touchdowns on the season. In addition, the program’s ground game is also potent. Senior running back Woody Marks rushes for nearly six yards on every run. This has the Georgia native to rush for 878 yards and nine touchdowns. All of these weapons have the ability to expose Nebraska’s Blackshirts. The Cornhuskers’ secondary play under John Butler has also been extremely spotty. The Cornhuskers were good at limiting Jeremiah Smith in Columbus. However, injuries to Tommi Hill and Malcolm Hartzog have left NU in a bind. USC transfer Ceyair Wright has been their only bright spot. The junior from LA has been a solid contributor to White’s defense so far with 23 tackles. We should also expect him to provide knowledge on the Trojans offense.
What’s At Stake?
There are three games left in the Huskers season. And the team is just one win away from bowl eligibility. It’s a familiar situation that Nebraska finds itself in against USC. Rhule has to find a way to deliver a victory for the Cornhuskers. But his problems pale in comparison to Riley’s. After Caleb William’s Heisman campaign with the Trojans last season, USC thought Moss could lead them into the upper tier of college football. This prediction hasn’t held true at all. Instead, the Trojans’ four wins have put Riley on a collision course with the NFL. A victory over NU would be an improvement, but it wouldn’t unite a fractured fanbase.
