Game Week: USC
NEBRASKA at USC
Nov. 16, 2024 | L.A. MEMORIAL COLISEUM
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. | 3 PM CT
HUSKERS
Record: 5-4 (2-4 Big Ten)
Last Game: vs. UCLA (L, 27-20)
Head Coach: Matt Rhule
Career/NU Record: 57-54 (9th Year)/10-11 (2nd Year)
Vs. USC: First Meeting
TROJANS
Record: 4-5 (2-5 Big Ten)
Last Game: at Washington (L, 26-21)
Head Coach: Lincoln Riley
Career/USC Record: 78-23 (8th Year)/23-13 (3rd Year)
Vs. Nebraska: 1-0
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time Series: USC leads, 4-0-1
At Los Angeles: USC leads, 1-0-1
Last Game: USC, 45-42 (2014 Holiday Bowl)
Win Streak: USC, 3 games
BROADCAST INFO
TV – Fox (Jason Benetti, Brock Huard, Allison Williams)
RADIO – Huskers Radio Network (Greg Sharpe, Damon Benning, Jessica Coody)
INTERNET AUDIO – Huskers.com
APP AUDIO – Official Huskers App
The Matchup
Nebraska returns to action on Saturday when the Huskers travel to the West Coast to take on the USC Trojans. The game is the first between the schools as Big Ten opponents, and will kick off at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at 3 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on FOX and can also be heard on the Huskers Radio Network and the Huskers App.
The Huskers stand at 5-4 on the season and 2-4 in Big Ten play after a tough 27-20 loss to UCLA in Lincoln on Nov. 2. Nebraska fell behind the Bruins 27-7 midway through the third quarter before rallying to within a single score in the game's final minutes. However, the Huskers; final drive ended in a turnover deep in Bruin territory, capping a second consecutive one-score loss for Nebraska. Three of Nebraska's four losses this season have been by a touchdown or less, including one overtime setback.
USC also comes into the game following a bye week. USC stands at 4-5 overall and 2-5 in its inaugural season in Big Ten Conference play. In its most recent action, USC suffered a 26-21 road loss at Washington on Nov. 2. The Trojans had multiple opportunities to pull out the win but were stopped on downs deep in Washington territory twice in the fourth quarter. Overall, USC's five losses have been by a total of 19 points, including an overtime loss and a one-point loss. Coach Lincoln Riley's team features a high-powered passing attack, as the Trojans average 291.2 passing yards per game to rank in the top 20 nationally in that category.
Saturday's matchup is just the sixth all-time meeting between two of college football's most storied programs. USC holds a 4-0-1 edge in the series between the schools, most recently defeating Nebraska, 45-42, in the 2014 Holiday Bowl.
Series History: Nebraska vs. USC
Nebraska and USC will meet for the sixth time on Saturday, and the third time in Los Angeles. The Trojans hold a 4-0-1 advantage in the all-time series between the schools.
• The most recent meeting between the schools was at the 2014 Holiday Bowl in San Diego, when the Trojans won a 45-42 shootout.
• USC is the only opponent Nebraska has played more than once and not defeated.
• Saturday's game will mark the first series matchup with neither team ranked. USC has been ranked in each of the first five matchups, including four times in the top 5, while Nebraska was also ranked in the four most recent meetings.
• The 21-21 tie in 1970 immediately preceeded Nebraska's 23-game win streak that produced back-to-back national championships in 1970 and 1971.
• USC is set to travel to Nebraska in 2025, with the Huskers set to travel to USC again in 2028.
Notables From the 2024 Season
Nebraska's 2024 season has featured several notable moments, including a 3-0 non-conference season and a 5-1 record in the first half of the season. Highlights for the 2024 season include:
• Nebraska opened the season with three consecutive non-conference victories, marking its first 3-0 start to the season since 2016. It was also the first time Nebraska was unblemished in non-conference play since 2016. The Huskers did not trail in their three non-conference games, and out-scored the opposition by a total of 102-20 in non-conference play.
• Nebraska won each of its first three games by at least 18 points. It marked the first time NU won three straight games by at least 18 points since the middle of the 2014 season, when the Huskers defeated Northwestern (21), Rutgers (18) and Purdue (21). The Huskers added a fourth win by at least 18 points with its 28-10 win at Purdue.
• The Huskers' 5-1 mark at the midpoint of the season was NU's best six-game record since 2016, when Nebraska began the season with seven wins. The 5-1 start allowed Nebraska to match its 2023 win total in the first half of the season and marked the 10th time since 2000 Nebraska has been 5-1 or better through six games.
• Nebraska's early-season success was largely a result of fast starts. Nebraska out-scored its first six opponents in the second quarter by a total of 65-3, before Indiana had a 21-7 edge in the second quarter on Oct. 19. For the season, Nebraska has an 85-41 edge in the second quarter. In 2023, Nebraska was out-scored 81-66 in the second quarter.
• Nebraska has pitched three first-half shutouts (Colorado, Purdue, Rutgers), and has allowed just 33 first-half points in six home games. Dating back to 2023, Nebraska has allowed just four first-quarter touchdowns in its past 15 games.
• Nebraska was ranked in both national polls for two consecutive weeks (Sept. 8, Sept. 15). Nebraska rose as high as 22nd in both polls. The No. 22 AP ranking was Nebraska's highest since being ranked 17th entering the 2016 regular-season finale at Iowa.
• The Sept. 20 game with Illinois was the first matchup of two AP ranked teams at Memorial Stadium since 2013 (vs. UCLA) and the first Big Ten games between two ranked teams since 2011 when 13th-ranked Nebraska defeated No. 9 Michigan State.
Blackshirt Defense Strong Again in 2024
A year after being one of the nation's most improved units, the Nebraska Blackshirt defense has been strong again in 2024.
• Nebraska allowed just 20 combined points in its first three games, the fewest through three games since NU allowed 16 points in the first three games in 2005. Nebraska is allowing 19.1 points per game to rank 21st nationally.
• Nebraska has held five opponents to 10 or fewer points this season. The five opponents held to 10 or fewer points is the most by Nebraska in a season since the 2009 Blackshirts held eight of 14 opponents to 10 or fewer points.
• With an overtime touchdown, Illinois ended a streak of 10 straight opponents Nebraska had held to 24 or fewer points. It was the longest stretch Nebraska had limited the opposition to 24 points or less since a 14-game stretch spanning the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
• Nebraska's defense has been dominant at home. Since the start of the 2023 season, just three of 13 opponents at Memorial Stadium have scored more than 14 points.
• Before the Oct. 19 game at Indiana, Nebraska had held 13 straight opponents to less than 400 total yards dating back to last season. The last time Nebraska held more than 13 straight opponents to less than 400 yards was part of a 14-game stretch spanning the final three games of 2008 and first 11 contests of 2009. Overall, Nebraska has held eight of nine opponents this season and 15 of its last 16 opponents to fewer than 400 yards.
• Nebraska has held five opponents this season to less than 300 yards, including limiting Ohio State to 285 yards after the Buckeyes entered the game averaging better than 500 yards per game.
• Nebraska is allowing 308.1 yards of total offense per game, which ranks 16th nationally.
• The Husker defense has allowed 26 plays of 20+ yards (6 rush, 20 pass), which is the eighth-fewest in the country.
This Week’s Numbers
16 – USC and Nebraska have combined for 16 national championships, including 11 by the Trojans and five by Nebraska. Each school has twice won back-to-back national championships, including Nebraska (1970-71; 1994-95) and USC (1931-32; 2003-04).
38 – True freshman receiver Jacory Barney Jr. has 38 receptions in nine games this season. He is two receptions shy of the NU record for most catches by a true freshman (Wan'Dale Robinson, 40, 2019). The overall freshman receptions record is 55 catches by JD Spielman in 2017.
46 - Nebraska senior punter Brian Buschini averages 46.4 yards per punt on the season. Buschini is challenging the Nebraska single-season punting average record, held by Sam Koch who averaged 46.51 yards on 71 punts in 2005.