Coming off a rocky first season as a member of the Big Ten, USC football went 7-6 (4-5) last year and is now looking to turn the page. The Trojans open their 2025 campaign Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, hosting Missouri State in a matchup of programs navigating significant transitions.
For USC, it’s about proving they belong among the Big Ten’s elite after last season’s struggles left the team far from title contention. For Missouri State, it’s a historic night—its first game as an FBS program after completing the jump from the FCS Missouri Valley Conference to Conference USA.
The 4:30 p.m. kickoff on the Big Ten Network marks the first meeting between the two programs, an intriguing contrast in expectations and trajectories for both programs.
Third-year Bears head coach Ryan Beard enters uncharted territory, leading his program through its FCS-to-FBS transition with senior quarterback Jacob Clark under center. The Bears finished 8-4 last season—their first winning record since 2021—providing momentum for this pivotal step up in competition.
Clark, a first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection, will be crucial to Missouri State’s success despite playing behind an offensive line that surrendered 40 sacks last season. Clark still managed to complete 69.7% of his passes totaling 26 touchdowns and just six interceptions.
Beard, who compiled a 12-11 record in his first two seasons after serving as defensive coordinator from 2020-2022, has reshaped his roster with several fresh faces on defense as well as a few newcomers at skill positions on offense. The Bears return just 13 starters—seven on offense, five on defense, plus their placekicker.
Interestingly, Beard and USC head coach Lincoln Riley share history from that 2020 Oklahoma-Missouri State game when Riley’s Sooners dominated 48-0. The contest marked Beard’s debut as the Bears’ defensive coordinator under then-head coach Bobby Petrino.
Entering his fourth season, Riley has assembled a dramatically different roster with 16 transfers and 28 freshmen to a roster that returned 67 players. The focus for this season is eliminating the late-game miscues and lack of execution down the stretch, issues that plagued last season’s campaign.
Five of USC’s six losses in 2024 came by a touchdown or fewer, highlighting its inability to close out tight contests. Those narrow defeats prevented what could have been a breakthrough Big Ten season.
Redshirt junior quarterback Jayden Maiava started the final four games of last season, going 3-1. After a full offseason as the starting signal caller, he’s gained countless reps with junior receivers Ja’Kobi Lane and Makai Lemon.
If the Trojans build a comfortable lead, Riley might elect for true freshman Husan Longstreet and veteran transfer Sam Huard to see some field action.
The Coliseum atmosphere always features a special touch with a famed tunnel captain, and tomorrow the program welcomes back former wideout Drake London.
London, now with the Atlanta Falcons, earned Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2021 after posting 1,084 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in just 7.5 games before a season-ending ankle injury.
While USC eyes a Big Ten title game appearance and seeks to establish itself among conference heavyweights, Missouri State simply wants to prove it can compete at the FBS level. The talent gap suggests the Trojans should cruise to a victory, but they shouldn’t overlook an opponent playing with nothing to lose.
For Riley’s squad, Saturday is the beginning of the redemption tour. For Beard’s Bears, it’s the start of a new chapter in program history.
The game kicks off at 4:30 p.m. PT on the Big Ten Network.