USC vs. Illinois prediction, pick, odds, spread: Trojans look to keep perfect start rolling against Illini
USC can climb deeper into the CFP discussion, while Illinois eyes a bounce-back performance
By
Tom Fornelli
•
3 min read
The last time No. 21 USC and No. 23 Illinois met it was in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day of 2008. That was when the champions of the Big Ten and Pac-10 met every year in the game. Now? Now it's a conference game between two Big Ten schools.
That game did not go well for the Illini, as the Trojans cruised to a 49-17 win. Still, that 32-point loss wasn't as bad as the one the Illini suffered last week at No. 11 Indiana, where they lost 63-10.
Bet Illinois vs. USC at DraftKings Sportsbook, where new users get $200 in bonus bets and over $200 off NFL Sunday Ticket. Click here:
That loss makes this game even more important for the Illini who don't want to lose the momentum from a 10-win 2024 season and a 3-0 start to 2025 with consecutive losses, but the Trojans present a difficult challenge. The Trojans are off to a 4-0 start and looking every bit like the team USC was hoping to be when it brought Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma. They have one of the most explosive offenses in the country and have scored at least 33 points in every game. They're also the only 2-0 team in the Big Ten entering the weekend, outscoring Purdue and Michigan State 78-48.
A win here would solidify the Trojans as a threat in the Big Ten and College Football Playoff race.
Where to watch USC vs. Illinois live
Date: Saturday, Sept. 27 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Gies Memorial Stadium -- Champaign, Illinois
TV: Fox | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
USC vs. Illinois: Need to know
USC has struggled against ranked opponents: Through most of its history, USC has been the ranked team beating up on the unranked, but tables have turned in recent years. The Trojans come into this game with a 4-16 record in their last 20 games against AP-ranked opponents. The streak predates Lincoln Riley's arrival, but they're still only 4-10 under him. That's a big change from Riley's record at Oklahoma, where he went 15-6 in such games.
Illinois is dealing with a lot of injuries: The Illini were banged up in the secondary heading into last week's game, and suffered even more injuries on the back end once the game started. They will be without All-Big Ten first-team corner Xavier Scott once again, and starting safety Matthew Bailey has been in concussion protocol this week, so his status is in question. USC has injury concerns of its own, as star receiver Ja'Kobi Lane missed last week's game against Michigan State, and is questionable for this contest as well.
The Illini are tough to beat at home: Illinois will be happy to return to the newly-christened Gies Memorial Stadium, becuase they're 8-1 at home since the start of last season. Their only loss came to Minnesota last year, and two of the wins they picked up were against teams ranked at the time like USC currently is (Kansas and Michigan).
USC vs. Illinois prediction, picks
It's hard to overlook the injury concerns on Illinois' defense considering how the defense performed last week against Indiana. While it's hard to imagine the Illini suffering another loss of 50 points or more, it's not as difficult to see this unit struggling to stop one of the most explosive offenses in college football. Pick: USC -6.5
SportsLine's proven computer model has simulated every Week 5 college football game 10,000 times. Visit SportsLine now to see all the picks, all from the model that is 34-22 since the beginning of last season on top-rated money-line and over/under picks.
