Here’s what to watch for on the football field this week in the Big Ten.
Game of the week
No. 13 LSU vs. No. 23 USC in Las Vegas, 6:30 p.m. Sunday, ABC-7
LSU and Big Ten newcomer USC will debut new quarterbacks after the departures of the last two Heisman Trophy winners. Garrett Nussmeier takes over for 2023 Heisman winner Jayden Daniels at LSU; Miller Moss succeeds 2022 winner Caleb Williams at USC.
The Tigers are coming off a pair of 10-win seasons and have won seven of their last eight, but they’ve lost four straight openers. Nussmeier will be going against a revamped USC defense under new coordinator D’Anton Lynn.
The Trojans are meeting an SEC opponent for the first time since losing 52-6 to Alabama in 2016. They’re facing LSU for the first time since 1984.
The undercard
No. 9 Michigan opens the defense of its national championship at home against Fresno State on Saturday. Sherrone Moore, who won four games as acting head coach last year, takes over for Jim Harbaugh. The Bulldogs go to the Big House for the first time with interim coach Tim Skipper replacing Jeff Tedford, who resigned July 15 for health reasons.
Minnesota hosts North Carolina on Thursday night in the week’s first intersectional matchup. Drake Maye, the No. 3 draft pick by the New England Patriots, shredded the Gophers defense with 414 passing yards in last year’s 31-13 win. Tar Heels coach Mack Brown said Connor Harrell and Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson will take snaps. New Hampshire transfer QB Max Brosmer makes his first FBS start for Minnesota.
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Impact players
QB Dylan Raiola, the highest-ranked recruit ever to sign with Nebraska, makes his first start against UTEP at home Saturday.
QB Aidan Chiles, who followed coach Jonathan Smith from Oregon State to Michigan State, will face Florida Atlantic on Friday night.
QB Will Howard, a transfer from Kansas State, starts for No. 2 Ohio State against Akron on Saturday.
Inside the numbers
Rutgers’ Kyle Monangai enters Thursday’s opener against Howard as the defending Big Ten rushing champion (1,262 yards). He and Michigan’s Blake Corum (1,245), now with the Los Angeles Rams, were the only players in the conference to run for more than 1,000 yards. … No. 3 Oregon hosts Idaho in its first game as a Big Ten member and goes for its nation-leading 33rd straight nonconference home win. … Bret Bielema’s 18 wins are the most by an Illinois coach in his first three seasons since John Mackovic won the same number from 1988-90. The Illini open Thursday against Eastern Illinois. … Wisconsin will try to go 16-0 in home night games when it plays Western Michigan on Friday.
Now don’t get upset
West Virginia is an 8½-point underdog Saturday against No. 8 Penn State. Drew Allar threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns in the Nittany Lions’ 38-15 win in Happy Valley last year, and he’s back. The Mountaineers are at home this time, experienced on both sides of the ball and riding the momentum of their first nine-win season since 2016.