NBC and Peacock have more great Big Ten football offerings this Saturday as No. 23 USC heads to Lincoln to face off against Nebraska. This battle of two proud, historically excellent programs could serve as a springboard as both teams look to return to the nation’s upper echelon and make some noise in the Big Ten. The winner of this game will keep its hopes for the College Football Playoff alive; the loser will almost definitely be eliminated from consideration.
Read on to find out how to watch Saturday’s matchup as well as additional information on how to watch college football on Peacock.
RELATED: Nebraska extends Matt Rhule’s contract through 2032, adds bonuses for CFP appearances
Nebraska
The Cornhuskers continue to make strides in Year 3 under recently extended head coach Matt Rhule. Nebraska went 5-7 in Rhule’s first season, 7-6 with their first bowl appearance since 2016 last season, and has started 6-2 this year, its best eight-game record in nine seasons.
This game serves as a great opportunity for the Cornhuskers because they don’t play a currently ranked team the rest of the season. Losses to Michigan and Minnesota have set Nebraska back, but running the table would give it a CFP-worthy resume.
Sophomore quarterback Dylan Raiola is improving each week along with the team but still learning. The former No. 2-ranked QB in the Class of 2024 who has drawn visual comparisons to Patrick Mahomes ranks sixth in the FBS with a 72.8% completion percentage, but his seven turnovers in Big Ten play are the most of any player.
USC
The Trojans have played jump rope with the AP poll, with three different stints in the rankings since Week 4. Losses at Illinois and Notre Dame feed into the concern that Lincoln Riley’s program struggles on the road, especially against stronger competition.
In contrast to Nebraska under Rhule, USC’s record has gotten worse in each of Riley’s three full seasons. The hire was met with almost universal praise, but now the pressure is on for Riley to not just contend for the College Football Playoff, but to make it.
At 5-2 and with a typically excellent Riley offense leading the way, the Trojans have a path to achieve that goal. The path, however, is tenuous. USC’s final three games come vs. a tough Iowa team, at No. 6 Oregon and then back home vs. an improved UCLA squad. That makes it all the more crucial for Riley and Co. to prove they can win on the road this week.
Key Matchup: USC’s pass offense vs. Nebraska’s pass defense
This is a true strength-on-strength matchup. USC boasts the best marks in the country in pass yards per game and passes of 50-plus yards. Redshirt junior QB Jayden Maiava has been mostly excellent, tying for second-most total TDs in the Big Ten at 19 with only four turnovers.
Nebraska’s pass defense, meanwhile, ranks second in the FBS with 127.5 passing yards allowed per game. The Cornhuskers have actually allowed fewer passing yards than rushing yards this season.
A potential head-to-head battle to watch is USC WR Makai Lemon vs. Nebraska DB Ceyair Wright. Lemon enters the week with 48 receptions and 758 receiving yards entering the week, both ranking second in the Big Ten. Wright has allowed only 13 catches and 119 yards on 28 targets through eight games.
Adding to the intrigue, the Los Angeles native Wright was a USC commit and played three seasons with the Trojans before transferring to Nebraska for the 2024 season. He was a bright spot for the Cornhuskers in a 28-20 loss to the Trojans at the Coliseum last season, returning an interception 45 yards for a touchdown in Maiava’s first start.
How to watch No. 23 USC vs. Nebraska:
- When: Saturday, November 1
- Where: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska
- Time: 7:30 PM ET
- TV Channel: NBC
- Live Stream: Peacock
What other college football games are on NBC and Peacock this weekend?
RELATED: How to watch Rutgers vs Illinois: TV, live stream info, storylines for Saturday’s game
How to watch Rutgers vs. Illinois
- When: Saturday, November 1
- Where: Gies Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois
- Time: 12 PM ET
- Live Stream: Peacock
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