NCAA Football: Northwestern at USC

Northwestern at USC sets up as a classic tempo tug-of-war at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. The Wildcats’ path is clear: shrink possessions, win field position, and make this a fourth-quarter rock fight. Expect running back Caleb Komolafe to shoulder the bulk of the workload behind a steady diet of inside zone, duo, and some patient counters—anything that keeps the clock and chains moving. Quarterback Preston Stone is solid operating on schedule, but when forced into elongated, third-and-long reads he can drift into risky throws. That makes early-down efficiency everything for Northwestern: stay ahead of the sticks, avoid the obvious passing downs, and accept punts as field-position wins.

USC brings the fireworks. The Trojans can score in chunks and will stress the edges with speed, forcing Northwestern’s safeties into space and their corners to tackle. The vulnerability for USC remains the same: a defense that can be bled by smart, ball-control offenses willing to take five yards at a time. If the Wildcats string together double-digit play drives and finish with points—field goals are fine early—they’ll keep the game script where they want it.

Key levers: third-down rate, red-zone touchdowns vs. field goals, and turnovers. If Stone stays clean and Komolafe keeps them on schedule, Northwestern can drag this into the final minutes within one score. USC likely finds a late answer—the roster speed usually does—but the points are attractive for Wildcat backers. Lean: Northwestern plus the number, with a slight look to first-half under if you expect the tempo squeeze to take hold before adjustments kick in.

PICK:
Northwestern 20
USC 30