No. 6 Indiana and No. 15 USC understand the high-stakes game they're playing Saturday.
The winner remains in contention for one of two spots in the last Big Ten championship game and a potential playoff spot. The loser could be eliminated from both chases.
But instead of getting caught up in the hype of what may appear to be a must-win scenario, the defending national champions and the Trojans want to keep this simple and avoid thinking about the long-term
ramifications of a single game.
“To be honest with you, we're not focused on the Big Ten championship at all,” Hoosiers receiver Charlie Becker said. “We're really focused on USC. The Big Ten championship, if we're going to get there, we've really got to focus on winning each game and right now our opponent is USC. IF the Big Ten championship (game) comes then we'll focus on that.”
A few weeks ago, it seemed this rare matchup — just the fifth between these schools and the first since 1982 — would not be one of the biggest games in Week 11. On Oct. 17, then No. 4 Ohio State grabbed the inside track to the title game by handing Indiana a 19-15 loss at home, which ended Indiana's 22-game winning streak and 19-game winning streak at Memorial Stadium.
USC's 24-7 loss at Wisconsin the following week seemingly had the Trojans season — and coach Lincoln Riley's future at the school — teetering on the brink.
But USC (7-2, 4-2 Big Ten, No. 18 CFP) changed the equation with a convincing 30-18 victory over the Buckeyes on Oct. 31. And when a second straight Ohio State loss last week has created a six-team logjam for third place behind undefeated UCLA and the Hoosiers (8-1, 6-1, No. 9), it created an opportunity the Trojans had been waiting for.
“We're starting to realize and understand that how we do one thing is how we do everything,” cornerback Alex Graham said. “The things we do off the field have a big impact on what do on the field, so just knowing that as a team we're getting better.”
The question is whether they're good enough to beat Indiana on the road?
The Trojans could be facing a backup quarterback for the second straight game against a top 10 opponent.
Julian Sayin injured his right arm against the Hoosiers and hasn't played since, and the Hoosiers starter, Josh Hoover, also was injured in that game and hasn't looked the same. Coach Curt Cignetti finally pulled the ineffective Hoover at halftime after he took a big hit against Minnesota, and Grant Wilson rallied Indiana to a 23-16 overtime win.
Who will they face this week?
“We'll see how the week goes,” Cignetti said. “And then we'll see who we trot out there.”
The Hoosiers' offensive struggles began even before Hoover was injured. Indiana scored 38 or more points in four of its first five games, but has topped the 20-point mark just once since — and it needed an overtime touchdown to do it.
Yet Indiana still ranks among the nation's highest-scoring teams at 32.4 — the exact same number as the high-octane Trojans score.
Both teams also have had an extra week to prepare, though Indiana could be the bigger benefactor since it had played nine games before getting a chance to recharge. USC has had two byes this season.
“We’ll have to play well and obviously can’t do a lot of the things we did against Minnesota, which looked like we had played 19 games in a row instead of nine,” Cignetti said.
USC might not have to worry about trading its California sunshine for Indiana snow. But this November trip to Bloomington doesn't look like it will be played in the same conditions USC usually finds in Los Angeles.
The early forecast is calling for a mostly sunny day with a high temperature of 46 degrees, dropping to a low of 25. The game also will likely end after sunset.
But that doesn't bother Riley.
“This is football weather," he said. “This is going to be awesome. Like I can't wait for it, our team can't wait for it. It looks like it's going to be a great night, especially for the big guys. I mean the big guys love this. Are you kidding me? This is as good as it gets.”
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