The USC Trojans will take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers in a key Big Ten matchup in college football on Saturday. USC is back in the top 25 entering this week and will try to stay there by grabbing a key road win over Matt Rhule’s team. Before kickoff from Lincoln, continue reading to get my USC vs Nebraska prediction for this contest.
Our USC vs Nebraska Pick
- Pick: Over 59.5
- Confidence: 3/5
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: USC Trojans vs Nebraska Cornhuskers
- Date & Time: Saturday, November 1, 2025, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska
- Broadcast: NBC / Peacock
Key Storylines
We could see a very entertaining game thanks to the offenses that these teams are bringing into this contest. USC is known for its high-octane offense under Lincoln Riley, while Nebraska has an entertaining offense of its own with Dylan Raiola at quarterback. All of that should add up to an entertaining affair between these two teams and an important game for both teams in the Big Ten.
Both of these teams have winning records in Big Ten play. But that might not be enough to reach the Big Ten title game this season. Indiana and Ohio State are both undefeated on the year and that means that these two teams need to keep winning and get some help if they want to get to Indianapolis.
Another interesting subplot to monitor is the contract extension for Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule. Rhule more or less confirmed that he is going to be staying with Nebraska by signing an extension with a buyout that would make it prohibitively expensive for him to bail for another program. With coaching continuity locked in, Rhule and the Cornhuskers will try to keep winning games at home.
Quarterback Play
USC QB Jayden Maiava has completed 68.1% of his passes for 2,180 yards, 15 touchdowns, and only four interceptions this season. His connection with WR Makai Lemon (48 catches, 758 yards, 6 TDs) has been especially productive. Nebraska signal‑caller Dylan Raiola has also been efficient, throwing for 1,909 yards, 17 touchdowns, and six interceptions. There is star power at quarterback on both sides of this game.
Betting Trends
- USC is 4-3 against the spread so far this season.
- Nebraska is 2-5-1 against the spread entering this matchup.
- USC has gone over the total in four of its first seven games.
- Nebraska has gone over the total in six of its first eight outings.
USC vs Nebraska Model Projection
Score Projection: USC 34 – Nebraska 31
Win Probability: USC 63%, Nebraska 37%
Final Thoughts
I think that we are in for one of the most entertaining games of the week in college football in this game. Both of these teams have explosive passing games and should be able to light up the scoreboard under the lights in Lincoln. I’ll take the over in this game, with the expectation that Maiava and Raiola air it out successfully throughout this matchup.
