NCAA Football
2026-11-14 - USC Trojans at Indiana Hoosiers
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : College Football Week 11
Saturday 14th November 2026 - Scheduled 3:30pm EST
8:30pm (British Time)
Preview
They may be the defending Champions, but things can change dramatically in College Football from season to season and the Indiana Hoosiers (8-1) will feel they have something to prove. The record is decent enough and the Hoosiers would be in the Big Ten Championship Game if the season was to end today, but they have not looked completely comfortable on the Offensive side of the ball and the Bye Week may have come at a good time.
They are hosting an opponent that was also on a Bye in Week 10 of the season when Indiana welcome the USC Trojans (7-2) to Bloomington.
USC are 4-2 in the Conference and the Indiana Hoosiers are 5-1 so this is a big game for both teams, while the Trojans will be hoping that they can build up some momentum after beating the Ohio State Buckeyes last time out. That was at home though and it has been a challenge for the USC Trojans to play on the road since joining the Big Ten, especially in the relatively early Eastern Time slot.
It is going to be a significant test for the Trojans when they have the ball as they play against the strength of the Indiana Hoosiers in 2026- the Defensive unit has been restricting opponents all season and that has allowed a work in progress Indiana Offensive unit to do very little to be put in a position to win games.
Like so many great Defensive teams, the Indiana Defensive Line sets the standard by dominating at the Line of Scrimmage and forcing teams to either become one-dimensional or have to complete throws from third and long situations time and time again. You would have to consider it a significant surprise if the USC Offensive Line is able to have any real success running the ball against this Hoosiers team and that means it will be up to Quarter Back Jayden Maiava to have to have a big game.
There has been little wrong with his numbers, but Jayden Maiava will be operating behind a shaky Offensive Line and one that may not be able to give him the kind of time needed for routes to develop out of third and long spots. The Hoosiers pass rush needs to be given a lot of respect, while that has also helped the Secondary make some big plays and this is where Indiana are going to believe they can restrict the USC output.
However, the key to this spread is for the Indiana Offensive unit to come out of the Bye Week with a new rhythm having struggled going into the break.
Josh Hoover and Grant Wilson were both being used at the Quarter Back position, but that is partly down to Hoover not being at 100% and the Bye Week should have helped. Both will be hoping that whoever lines up behind Center will be given a bit more support by the Indiana Offensive Line, who had been struggling to help the team get into third and manageable spots on the field before the Bye Week and who are now playing against a Trojans Defensive Line that have been pretty stout up front.
While not being as convincing running the ball as hoped, the Indiana Offensive Line have been better in pass protection and that will at least give the Quarter Back an opportunity.
Making plays out of third and long is never easy, but this USC Secondary have allowed some passing yards to be manufactured against them and that is where the home team may do just enough to back up the likely strong Defensive effort.
Extra possessions and short fields created by one of the two Defenses is likely going to be the key to the final outcome of this game and that is a factor that is much harder to predict.
The Hoosiers are also 1-8 against the spread this season, but the Bye has to be a big help, as is the time slot this game has been given and this may be the moment when Indiana remind all that they are the defending Champions.
Covering will be far from easy, but a couple of big plays can be made by Indiana on both sides of the ball and they can get the better of a USC team that have not travelled that well since joining the Big Ten.
Prediction
Lay the points with the defending National Champions as they return from a Bye Week.
The Pick :
Indiana Hoosiers 24-14 USC Trojans
