USC Football: 2025 Game-By-Game Schedule Predictions

Entering the 2025 college football season, the USC Trojans have high expectations. They are a top-5 team in the Big Ten by ESPN’s Power Index. That kind of pressure can create diamonds, or see an entire season blown up in their face. We’ll go game-by-game on the USC schedule and determine whether or not the Trojans can find their way into the College Football Playoffs this season.

USC Football: 2025 Game-By-Game Schedule Predictions

August 30: vs Missouri State Bears

The Missouri State Bears have some good ballplayers, and there’s no doubt that they are going to come out ready to play. However, unless there’s a Miracle-esque storyline, this one could get out of hand early. USC will have a hungry squad ready to prove themselves to the nation. This game should be a blowout.

Prediction: 56-13, Win (1-0)

September 6: vs Georgia Southern Eagles

The Eagles are coming off a 2024 season where they finished 6-2 in the East division of the Sun Belt Conference, before losing a 26-31 nailbiter against Sam Houston in the New Orleans Bowl.

Georgia Southern just locked up former USC head coach, Clay Helton, through the 2029 season. However, Helton and company are going to need to continue building up the program before being considered equals to big-name programs like USC. Expect there to be some highlights for the Eagles early. However, the Trojans should run away with this one at the Coliseum.

Prediction: 42-17, Win (2-0)

September 13: at Purdue Boilermakers

Purdue is coming off it’s worst season since 2013, and are projected to finish last once again in the Big Ten. With that in mind, they should be much-improved from their 1-11 record last season. Regardless this matchup has all the makings of a lopsided win for the Trojans.

Prediction: 38-14, Win (3-0)

September 20: vs Michigan State Spartans

The Spartans finished the 2024 season with a final record of 5-7 (3-6 in conference). That was good for a 12th-place finish in the Big Ten. There’s no doubt that second year, and former Oregon State head coach, Jonathan Smith, is building a program over there in Lansing. And, Aidan Chiles and the offense has some playmakers to make things difficult. However, it just doesn’t look like the Spartans are going to be able to pull off this nationally televised (CBS 12:30PST) upset on the road.

Prediction: 34-14, Win (4-0)

September 27: at No. 12 Illinois Fighting Illini

The first real test for the Trojans (and the beginning of a tough three game stretch) comes against the 12th-ranked Fighting Illini in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. Illinois finished the 2024 season with an impressive 10-3 record, capped by a 21-17 victory over South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl. Two of their losses came against top-10 opponents, showcasing just how good the team was.

And with most of their players returning, Illinois looks to go for their second consecutive 10-win season. Unfortunately for them, USC should have worked out most of their kinks by then. It may be a low-scoring affair, but USC could just clamp down on the Fighting Illini on their way to a 5-0 start.

Prediction: 28-13, Win (5-0)

October 11: vs Michigan Wolverines

Michigan finished the 2024 season with an overall record of 8-5 and 5-4 in Big Ten conference play. Those numbers don’t immediately jump off the page. However, they include some huge wins against ranked opponents. That includes victories over USC (No. 11), Ohio State (No. 2) and Alabama (No. 11) in the Reliaquest Bowl on New Year’s Eve. They also had losses against highly-ranked opponents in Texas (No. 3), Oregon (No. 1) and Indiana (No. 8).

The Wolverines defense kept them in those games last season. And with Michigan adding offensive firepower, this could be one of the best matchups of the season. If USC is undefeated coming into this game with almost two weeks to prepare for war, then I’m taking the Trojans in a nailbiter.

Prediction: 28-24, Win (6-0)

October 18: at Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame, led by third-year head coach Marcus Freeman, finished the 2024 season 14-2. They reeled off 10 wins in a row after a shocking loss in Week 2 against Northern Illinois.

Notre Dame would go on to make the CFP and beat the Indiana Hoosiers 27-17 in the first round. The Irish would then take down the Georgia Bulldogs 23-10, before besting Penn State 27-24 in the Orange Bowl. Those wins would put Notre Dame’s record against AP-ranked opponents at 7-0, before facing Ohio State in the National Championship game. Notre Dame would end up losing 34-23 and finishing runner-up for the National Title.

In 2025, the Irish look to continue that success and bang it out on their way to another National Championship appearance. That said, this will be a tough test for the Trojans. And to preserve some journalistic integrity (read: not be a USC homer), I’m going with Notre Dame to edge out the Trojans in a defensive battle coming down to the wire.

USC- 28 – Notre Dame 31

Prediction: 28-31, Loss (6-1)

November 1: at Nebraska Cornhuskers

The Nebraska Cornhuskers led by third-year head coach, Matt Rhule are undoubtably a solid squad. In 2024, they went 2-5 in one score games. However, have an offense led by returning quarterback, Dylan Raiola, and Rhule’s track record of turning programs around by his third year (at Temple and Baylor) all point to the Huskers being a really tough opponent in 2025.

This matchup may boil down to who’s healthier throughout the course of the season. Transfers aplenty, this Nebraska team is coming out as true contenders, and this one could go either way. If USC is healthy and carrying momentum into this matchup, they could just keep it rolling. If not, it’s anyone’s game.

Prediction: 28-24, Win (7-1)

November 7: vs Northwestern Wildcats

In 2024, the Northwestern Wildcats didn’t have their best year, finishing 4-8 (2-7 in conference). And with them at the bottom of ESPN’s Power Index, it’s hard to see them matching up against the Trojans. USC will be playing this Friday night game on a short week but, that shouldn’t matter here. Coming off a battle against Nebraska, the Trojans will be firing on all cylinders, overwhelming the Wildcats with their sheer size and strength.

Prediction: 35-21, Win (8-1)

November 15: vs Iowa Hawkeyes

The Iowa Hawkeyes finished their season with a 27-24 loss to No. 19 Missouri in the Music City Bowl. That game ended their season with an 8-5 record (6-3 Big Ten).

The Hawkeyes added South Dakota State transfer, Mark Gronowski, who could just be the missing piece of this 2025 Iowa squad. Gronowski is the best quarterback that the Hawkeyes have had in recent years, with a proven track record of winning. It’s safe to say that this team will be guns blazing in 2025. And, they will be ready to roll against the Trojans come September. This should be a close matchup depending on both teams ability to stay healthy.

Prediction: 31-30, Win (9-1)

November 22: at Oregon Ducks

It gets loud at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. The crowd is loud, the uniforms are loud, and the Ducks offense is loud. Oregon finished last year 13-1 (9-0 Big Ten) with their season ending in Pasadena against the eventual national champions.

The Ducks are fast, big, and have a “whoever, whenever, wherever” mentality. This should turn out to be a heavyweight battle that could go either way.

Vegas gives three points to the home team so, I’m going Oregon.

Prediction: 30-31, Loss (9-2)

November 29: vs UCLA Bruins

The UCLA Bruins finished 5-7 (3-6 Big Ten) in their first season under new head coach Deshaun Foster. UCLA looks to be improved in 2025, but in the regular season finale, I’m not sure if UCLA will be able to handle the USC Trojans in full-swing.

However, it is a cross-town rivalry that has seen some wild things happen over the years. That said, I think the revamped Trojans are going to be too much for UCLA this year.

Prediction: 28-17, Win (10-2)

USC Football: Final Thoughts on the Schedule

The USC Trojans play a tough football schedule, but a 10-2 finish is well within the realm of possibilities. And if this were the case, USC would find themselves in the CFP at the end of the year. Some may ask if the Trojans could really put together a 10-win season. Yet, I do think it’s possible.

With a revamped defensive line under Coach Henderson, and above-average quarterback play from Jayden Maiva, the sky’s the limit for the Trojans in 2025.