Homecoming week is in full swing at USC with the annual football game scheduled for Saturday, November 16. USC will go up against Nebraska for the first time without quarterback Miller Moss after the team’s recent decision to bench him.
This week is full of events for students and alumni to attend, giving them a chance to get hyped before Saturday’s big game.
Alicia Chu, a student studying business administration, started celebrating Homecoming on Monday by attending an event with her sorority. Often during homecoming, sororities and fraternities often pair together for different events throughout the week.
“We’re going to another venue, just getting hyped for this weekend and for the tailgate and the game this weekend,” Chu said.
Football is one of the biggest sports at USC, and definitely one of the school’s selling points. Ahead of homecoming, there’s also a big Thursday Night Football game: The Washington Commanders at the Philadelphia Eagles, battling out for the division title. It’s going on right now.
For students like Naomi Kassahun, who is studying biochemistry, these big celebratory events revolving around football are something special.
“I came from, like, a really small high school with no football team or, like, really, like, our biggest sports team was, like, soccer,” Kassahun said. “And so it’s really fun to come over and have that weekend to play and watch, like my own team in the stands. I’m also a really big Eagles fan, so it’s like, yeah, I really love football period.”
Saturday’s game is the last home game for students who will not be here over Thanksgiving break.
Henry Ruland, a junior studying music industry, will not be attending his last home game of the season, but is still planning to celebrate homecoming with his friends.
“I’m actually not going to the game because I sold my ticket to one of my friends who hasn’t been to a home game this year, which I’m kind of sad about, since it’s my last home game, but I’ll be tail tailgating with my friends, hopefully celebrating a Trojan win,” Ruland said.
USC is 5 and 4 this season, and the Cornhuskers are currently 6 and 3. FOX Sports has given the Trojans a 77.3% chance to win, with the receiving a 27.5% probability.
Nina Pappas, a junior studying health and human sciences, is hoping to finish the football season strong this weekend with a Trojan victory. For Pappas, this Homecoming game is the last of her junior year.
“I’m going abroad next semester, so I wouldn’t even be here for the spring game,” Pappas said. “So this is kind of my last home game of the season, which is super sad, but I hope we can finish off strong.”
Kickoff for the game is at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Coliseum.