USC vs Penn State live updates: highlights, predictions, analysis

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The USC Trojansand Lincoln Riley face a defining game in their 2026 college football season. USC has more talent than Penn State. The Trojans have the better quarterback, Jayden Maiava. They have a deeper wide receiver room with Penn State star Koby Howard out due to injury. Penn State is missing more total players in the injury report.

Lincoln Riley isn't facing Ohio State in this game. He is facing a mediocre Penn State team which has lost to Wisconsin and Northwestern and is playing poorly right now. Penn State has a first-year coach, Matt Campbell, who is in the middle of a daunting transition process in Happy Valley. Riley is in Year 5 at USC, having made multiple staff changes in the offseason to finally get things right for the Trojans. USC has had a longstanding problem in Big Ten road games. USC simply has not been able to play well away from home in the Big Ten during Riley's tenure.

Playing Penn State – and a shorthanded version at that – gives Lincoln Riley a chance to pass a test which is just not that difficult. It isn't the easiest exam you've ever seen, but it's also not the hardest. Call it a 4 or 5 on a scale of 1 to 10. If Riley can't pass this kind of test, how can he possibly be seen as the right man to lead USC football into 2027 and beyond?

Follow our coverage of the USC Trojans versus the Penn State Nittany Lions, with highlights, injury updates, and plenty of analysis:

USC Trojans vs Penn State Nittany Lions live updates, analysis

Hit refresh for the latest updates from USC football's Week 6 game against Penn State at Beaver Stadium.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC vs Penn State live updates: highlights, predictions, analysis

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