East Coast fans may be dreading the 11 p.m. EST kickoff between No. 25 USC and Michigan State on Saturday, September 20, but the late start is just one of the new challenges in the Big Ten. With the arrival of USC, Washington, UCLA, and Oregon, navigating time zones has become a learning curve. Ahead of the game, Trojans Head Coach Lincoln Riley acknowledged the tough matchup and even sent a letter to USC students and season ticket holders to rally support.
Why Is Lincoln Riley Concerned About the Michigan State Matchup?
Despite ESPN giving USC a 95.2% chance to win, anything can happen on game day. The Trojans are currently 18.5-point favorites, even though both teams enter the contest with undefeated 3-0 records. Riley, however, is not overlooking the Spartans’ talent.
“Offensively, a lot of it centers around the quarterback. They run the ball very well and they’ve got some explosive wide receivers,” Riley said.
That quarterback, junior Aidan Chiles, has had no issue throwing the ball this season. After throwing for 2,415 yards with 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2024, he has improved his touchdown-to-interception ratio significantly. In the first three games of this season, Chiles has already thrown six touchdowns to just one interception.
Additionally, Chiles has utilized his legs much more successfully this season. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound quarterback is averaging nearly two more yards per carry and is just 112 yards shy of his rushing total from the entire 2024 season. The Spartans’ run game has been fantastic overall, with three players eclipsing 100 rushing yards. The attack is led by sophomore running back Makhi Frazier, while fellow sophomore Brandon Tullis provides a fantastic change of pace, averaging 6.2 yards per attempt.
“Defensively it starts with their ability to stop the run,” Riley added. “They’re one of the best run defenses in the country. They’ve made life tough on a lot of people.”
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That stout run defense will be tested against a potent USC ground game. The Trojans have accumulated 1,812 yards of total offense through three games and, similar to the Spartans, feature three players with over 100 rushing yards. USC’s top three running backs have combined for 598 yards and seven touchdowns, with all three averaging more than seven yards per carry.
After scoring a combined 132 points in their first two games, the Trojans’ offense came back down to earth in a 33-17 win over Purdue. With Michigan State serving as their first home conference game, Riley made a direct appeal to the fanbase. His letter, which urged fans to be in their seats and cheering for the entire game despite the late kickoff, was a unique approach for a Top 25 school, but one he clearly felt was necessary.
