On the eve of their anticipated showdown on Saturday night against the Penn State Nittany Lions, the No. 19 USC Trojans received an unfortunate injury update.
NC State Wolfpack transfer wide receiver Terrell Anderson is expected to undergo season-ending surgery after being limited with an undisclosed injury, per CBS Sports Matt Zenitz.
It’s an unfortunate ending for the former NC State star, who arrived in Los Angeles with high expectations to become a crucial piece in the Trojans’ wide receiver room. Anderson joins Corey Simms as the other wide receiver out for the season. Here’s Friday’s full Big Ten availability report for the Trojans.
USC Trojans vs. Penn State Nittany Lions Injury Report
Out
- WR Corey Simms
- S Kendarius Reddick
- LB Taylor “Taybo” Johnson
- LB Roman Marchetti
- OL Kilian O’Connor
Doubtful
- WR Terrell Anderson
- OL Hayden Treter
Questionable
- DT Jahkeem Stewart
- WR Trent Mosley
- TE Mark Bowman
- DT Jide Abasiri
Can Lincoln Riley and Trojans Finally Earn a Signature Road Win?
In their five-year tenure under Riley, the Trojans have struggled on the road. That struggle was on full display last season, as all three of the Trojans ‘regular-season losses came away from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum against the Illinois Fighting Illini, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and the Oregon Ducks.
Those three losses prevented the Trojans from reaching their CFP goals, making Saturday’s game against the Nittany Lions extremely important. In addition to the contest with the Nittany Lions, the Trojans still have several marquee matchups on the schedule, including dates with the No. 5 Ohio State Buckeyes (Oct. 31), No. 7 Indiana Hoosiers (Nov. 14), and No. 21 UCLA Bruins (Nov. 28).
Two of those three matchups against currently ranked opponents are away from the Coliseum, as the Trojans will face both Indiana and UCLA on the road. The Trojans’ road contest with the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium is also a game USC can’t overlook, as coach Luke Fickell’s squad is currently 4-1 with Big Ten wins over Penn State and Michigan State.
When going into such a hostile environment against the Nittany Lions, the Trojans must start fast and respond to the adversity they’ll face throughout the game. The annual whiteout game at Beaver Stadium is known for being one of the most hostile environments in college football.
Fans of the game are well aware of the 2019 game between Penn State and Michigan, where the Wolverines had to call a timeout on the first play of the game as the crowd roared with “Mo Bamba” playing in the background.
In a game that could be a back-and-forth battle, one turnover is all it could take for USC to fall short against the Nittany Lions. Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava has thrown an interception in the last two games for USC, and he’ll look to avoid making it three straight on Saturday night against the Nittany Lions. Through six games this season, Maiava leads the Big Ten in passing with 1,744 yards, 15 touchdowns, and three interceptions.
Kickoff Time and Betting Odds
The latest DraftKings Sportsbook betting odds list the Trojans as 1.5-point underdogs, with the over/under line at 54.5 points. The Trojans and Nittany Lions kick off at Beaver Stadium at 4:30 p.m. PT, with the game broadcast on NBC.
This will be the Trojans’ third consecutive game on NBC, as their matchups against the Ducks and Huskies were also kicked off at 4:30 p.m. PT in primetime.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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