For a demonstration in the geographic peculiarities of the new-look Big Ten Conference, look no further than Saturday’s matchup between Michigan State and No. 25-ranked host Southern California in Los Angeles.This matchup of unbeaten teams kicks off at 8 p.m. local time, which will peek into Sunday morning back on Michigan State’s campus in East Lansing, Mich., before halftime.”We’re going to go out Thursday … try to adjust,” Spartans coach Jonathan Smith said. “This is a challenging road environment and a really good team … and that’s not just [for] us.”Despite an up-and-down debut season in the Big Ten last year, USC (3-0, 1-0 Big Ten) proved to be tough at home no matter the kickoff time. The Trojans finished 3-1 in league games at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, with the lone loss coming in a 33-30 overtime decision against College Football Playoff participant Penn State.USC won its first two home games of 2025 over Missouri State and Georgia Southern by margins of 73-13 and 59-20. Opening Big Ten play on the road last week at Purdue, the Trojans overcame a lengthy weather delay to roll past the Boilermakers, 33-17.Running backs Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders carried for 77 and 75 yards to complement quarterback Jayden Maiava’s 282 yards passing. Jamaal Jarrett then scored on a 70-yard pick six late in the third quarter to effectively put the game away.Smith is in his second season leading Michigan State (3-0), a program that has not played a USC team since 1990. Smith is familiar with USC, however, having coached the Trojans former Pac-12 counterpart Oregon State from 2018-23.USC went 2-1 in three matchups with Smith-coached Beavers teams, including a 17-14 Trojans win in Corvallis, Oregon, in 2022 – the first season that current USC head coach Lincoln Riley was the helm.Smith led Oregon State to its first win at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum since 1960 with a 45-27 decision in September 2021.Michigan State finished 5-7 in Smith’s first season leading the Spartans despite a start similar to this year at 3-0. Week 4 marked a stark downturn, beginning with a 23-19 loss in a nighttime kickoff at Boston College.Michigan State lost six of seven beginning with that contest, with four of the losses by three-touchdown margins or more.
