2026 PSU vs. USC

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General Pre-Game Information

• Game Six of 2026 season (Kick-time, TV, & official White Out announced Aug. 25/this is the 3rd of 3 “Color Outs” this season)—This is the third game on Penn State’s Big Ten schedule and second of 5 league contests at home. This is also the 19th “official” full stadium White Out—the first one to involve USC. PSU is facing the Trojans for the first time ever at Beaver Stadium in a Big Ten Conference game, and for only the second time ever as league foes. Penn State (0-0, 0-0/11-7 in WOs) is coming off its Big Ten Friday night road opener at Northwestern. The USC Trojans (0-0, 0-0) are coming off their Oct. 3 home date with Washington. This game pits new Penn State Defensive Coordinator D’Anton Lynn against his former team and USC QB Jayden Maiava. Lynn was the Trojans DC in 2024 & 2025 before being hired away by Matt Campbell. This game will also bring two former PSU players back to Beaver Stadium—Zuriah Fisher DE (PS 2020-25) & Ta’Mere Robinson LB (PS 2023-24). Fisher skipped the 2025 Pinstripe Bowl and signed with USC via the portal on January 15 to play a 7th year (missed entire 2024 season at PSU with injury). Robinson is in his 2nd season with the Trojans.

• Last PSU Game played (Fri., Oct. 2): Penn State X Northwestern X at “New” Ryan Field in Evanston, IL

• Current Rankings: AP Poll-TBA / US LBM Coaches Poll-TBA

• USC 2025 Record: 9-4 overall, 7-2 in Big Ten (2-4 away from home including the bowl)—Head Coach: Lincoln Riley (5th season)—Riley is 0-1 vs. PSU with the loss coming in overtime in 2024 at Los Angeles.

• 12th meeting with USC all-time (3rd at home): Penn State is 5-6 all-time vs. USC and 2-0 vs. the Trojans at Beaver Stadium with those wins coming in 1993 and 1994. The Lions are 1-2 vs. USC at the LA Coliseum (lone win came in 2024 in the first in-conference meeting of the two). PSU is also 2-4 all-time vs. USC at neutral sites—1-3 in bowl games (1-0 Fiesta/0-3 Rose) and 1-1 in Kickoff Classics played in the old Giants Stadium at the New Jersey Meadowlands—The neutral site wins came at the 1982 Fiesta Bowl and the 1996 Kickoff Classic. The series with USC dates to the 1923 Rose Bowl which saw the Nittany Lions lose 14-3 in the first ever bowl game to be played in the current Rose Bowl Stadium. Penn State’s lone score in its first bowl game came on what is commonly reported as a 20-yard drop kick field goal by Mike Palm QB. Since then, PSU lost to USC in two additional Rose Bowl Games in 2009 and 2017. The 2017 game which ended 52-49 on a last second Trojan field goal was the first Rose Bowl to exceed 100 points, and the 101 points scored remains the record for most in a regulation Rose Bowl game. Saquon Barkley rushed for a then-Penn State bowl record 194 yards and 2 TDs, with Trace McSorley passing for 254 yards and 4 TDs (2 to Chris Godwin).

• 19th Official Full Stadium White Out Game since its inception in 2007: This is also the 18th full stadium regular season White Out, the 8th White Out to played in October, the 3rd straight White Out vs. a former PAC-12 member of the Big Ten (5th straight regular season WO vs. a Big Ten foe), and the 13th White Out played in primetime. All of the regular season White Out games since 2016 have been played in primetime (PSU is 7-2 in this stretch). There were no official full stadium White Out games in 2010 (none scheduled) or 2020 (technically played with no fans due to Covid restrictions), and two were played in 2024 including the first-ever post-season White Out game.

• PSU record in White Out Games since 2007: PSU is 11-7 all-time in official full stadium White Outs (10-7 in regular season WOs). PSU is 8-4 in primetime White Outs (5-2 in WOs scheduled to kick at 7:30pm ET). PSU is 5-2 in White Outs played in October. The Nittany Lions are 1-1 in WOs vs. former PAC-12 members of the Big Ten. Penn State is 12-7 in WOs if the 2024 “White Out Energy” Homecoming win over Illinois is counted.

• Last Official White Out game: 2025 #3/2 Penn State vs. #6/5 Oregon—PSU loses 30-24 in 2-OT (third WO game to go overtime along with 2013 4-OT win over Michigan & 2014 2-OT loss to Ohio State)

• Last PSU Game vs. USC (2024 at the LA Coliseum): The 4th ranked Nittany Lions needed some heroics from Drew Allar QB, Tyler Warren TE, and Ryan Barker PK to come from 14-points down and pull out a 33-30 win in overtime to remain unbeaten at 6-0. Allar had a day of personal bests completing 30 of 43 passes for 391 yards (6th best in PSU history to date), 2 TDs, 3 INTs, 0 sacks. 17 of Allar’s completions and 1 TD were to Tyler Warren (see more below). Ryan Barker had the day that established him solidly as Penn State’s kicker (3 for 3 on PATs, 4 for 4 on FGs in just his 2nd start) and he hit the clutch 36-yard FG to win it in OT. This was the first walk-off game winning FG since Sam Ficken in 2014 vs. UCF in Ireland, and Barker was first to kick 4 FGs in single game since Tyler Davis in 2016 at Rutgers. This was PSU’s first victory over the Trojans in their 6 games played in California and their second win all-time at the LA Coliseum including the 1968 win over UCLA. This was the first OT win for PSU since the Appalachian State game in 2018, and the first OT win for PSU over a Big Ten foe since Minnesota in 2016.

• The 2024 OT victory over USC produced a number of memorable moments, but two really stood out. In the 3rd period, PSU takes the opening kick for a 75-yard drive in only 5 plays. Passes to Warren, Trey Wallace and Nick Singleton give PSU a first down at the USC 32. OC Andy Kotelnicki gets inventive. Beau Pribula checks in as QB and Allar swings out to the left. The offensive line suddenly shifts to an unbalanced look to the right of the ball. Warren then slips from the backfield to the left side of the line and assumes the role of center. Tyler Warren then snaps the ball to Pribula in the shotgun and quickly runs a route straight to the endzone (virtually unnoticed by the Trojans). Pribula throws a backwards pass to Allar who lofts the ball to Warren in the endzone. Tyler is obviously interfered with, but there’s no flag, he still makes the tough catch and holds on as he lands flat on his back. 32-yard TD for Warren, PSU is back within 7, down 20-13 with 12:52 to go in the 3rd. Moving to the 4th, after a TD catch by future Nittany Lion Kyron Hudson puts USC up 30-23, Penn State follows up with a gutty drive that began at its own 25-yard line. Facing a 4th and 7 at the PSU 44, Allar gets the ball to Julian Fleming WR for the 1st down at the USC 39. Moments later, with 3:48 remaining, it’s fourth and 10 and Allar has to scramble to keep the play alive and delivers what was probably his greatest play under pressure. Somehow, he sees Fleming and gets the ball to him for a 17-yard pickup inside the USC 28 for yet another 1st down. Fleming, who dropped a pass earlier, has now made the two biggest catches he will ever make for Penn State. An Allar 9-yard run gets the ball to the 14 where, with 2:53 to go, Allar ties the game again. Nick Singleton RB, on the snap, chips a defender and moves to the right flank where he’s wide open. Allar hits Nick with the pass and Singleton takes it 14 yards for the score, 30-30. (On that drive, Allar had 56 yards passing, 9 yards rushing, and converted two 4th and longs). Jaylen Reed’s INT then shuts off USC’s offense and sends it to OT where USC’s kicker misses from 45, and Barker wins it from 36.

• Tyler Warren’s record-setting performance at USC in 2024: In addition to his unforgettable 32-yard TD catch (see above), his 17 receptions (16 in regulation/he was targeted 20 times in the game) set a new PSU record breaking the old mark of 14 catches (12 in regulation) by DaeSean Hamilton in the 2014 2-OT loss to Ohio State. The 17 receptions tied the FBS Tight End record originally set in 1967 (Emilio Vallez of New Mexico), and it ties the Big Ten TE record set in 1982 (Jon Harvey of Northwestern). Tyler’s 224 yards receiving was the most at PSU for any TE, and he’s the first TE at Penn State to have more than 200+ yards in a single game. 224 yards (3 yards came in OT on 1 reception) is still second all-time at PSU to the 242 yards receiving by Jahan Dotson at Maryland in 2021. (Warren was only the 5th Nittany Lion receiver with 200 yards or more in a single game—It was the 6th overall time that 200+ has been achieved at State). Warren was credited with 136 YAC against USC. He also accounted for 13 of PSU’s 28 first downs against the Trojans. Tyler generated 228 yards in total offense vs. USC including a 4-yard gain on a run after taking the snap in wildcat formation (Warren also completed a pass to Kaytron Allen RB for 9 yards giving him 237 yards in total yards responsible for). NOTE: Through the first 6 games in 2024, only 1 Penn State WR, Harrison Wallace III, had 17 receptions in the entire season to that point (Wallace had 3 catches vs. USC).

• Commemorative football card for the 2024 win at USC: Topps Bowman U Now issued football cards featuring Drew Allar following the OT win at USC noting Allar’s new personal best 391 yards in passing (there were regular base, numbered, and autographed versions offered for sale through the company’s website). This was the third Penn State football game to have a commemorative card issued by Topps (the others were: 2023 Iowa Whiteout Shutout & 2024 Kent State new total offense record).

• Last PSU Game vs. USC at Beaver Stadium (1994): 9th ranked Penn State jumped on #14 USC right off the bat and rolled to a 35-0 lead at the half. Ki-Jana Carter opened the scoring with a 32-yard TD run and Kerry Collins followed with TD passes to Freddie Scott and Bobby Engram to blow the game open. USC lost control just seconds after the Carter TD when a Rob Johnson QB fumble was recovered by Nittany Lion Brian Gelzheiser LB at the Trojan 44. Next play, it’s Collins to Scott for 44 yards and the score and the rout was in progress. PSU took its foot off the gas in the second half and won 38-14 for a 2-0 start to what would be a 12-0 championship season. Note: PSU only played 8 conference games in the 1994 season, but interestingly, 3 of their 4 non-conference opponents that season would later become Big Ten members (USC, Rutgers, & Oregon)—The same is true of the 1993 season which also featured a win over USC.

• Memorable (& Critical) PSU moment from the 1982 Fiesta Bowl (PSU’s lone bowl win over USC): A light rain had fallen on the grass field at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, AZ prior to the game making for a wet surface. After the opening kick, USC has the ball at its own 20. On the first play, USC QB John Mazur hands off to Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Allen. Allen is grabbed briefly in the backfield by PSU DT Dave Opfar and continues to run to his left, but Marcus bobbles the ball and it bounces off his knee into the air. Roger Jackson CB (who had made the clutch endzone INT of Dan Marino in the victory over Pitt to close the ‘81 regular season) makes the grab recovery and is immediately taken down by Allen at the USC 17 giving the Nittany Lions incredible field position. Two plays later (after an incomplete pass), Curt Warner bursts up the middle and slants left for the 17-yard TD run as Penn State jumps out to a 7-0 lead just 15 second into the game. It’s the 2nd straight year in which Warner scored on his first touch in a bowl game. Penn State goes on to stun USC, 26-10 as Warner rushes 26 times for 145 yards and 2 TDs to easily outshine the Heisman winner.

• 1st 7:30pm ET kick for PSU in 2026 season. It is the second primetime kick of 2026 (first at home) following the October 2 road game at Northwestern which kicked at 8pm EDT/7pm CDT (pending the kick time announcement for the Sept. 26 Wisconsin game)

  TV/Radio Information

• NBC “Big Ten Saturday Night” Game Announcers: Noah Eagle & Todd Blackledge (PSU QB 1979-82) with Kathryn Tappen reporting on the sidelines—This is their second Official White Out game together including the 2025 loss to Oregon, although they also did 2024’s so-called “White Out Energy” Homecoming win vs. Illinois (an “unofficial” second White Out in a season that technically had 3 of them)—This is Todd Blackledge’s 5th Official White Out as a Network TV Analyst and second with NBC. Todd was the color analyst at the first ever full stadium White Out vs. Notre Dame in 2007. He was paired with the late Mike Patrick on ESPN. His most recent pre-NBC White Out appearance was in 2014 for the double-overtime loss to Ohio State (31-24) where he was teamed with Brad Nessler on ABC (Todd also did the 2011 WO vs. Alabama with Nessler on ABC).

• First game televised on NBC since the 2025 home game vs. Nebraska (NBC also televised the 2025 White Out game vs. Oregon)—PSU was 1-1 on NBC in 2025 season.

• This is the 2nd game this season to be televised on a traditional TV Network (pending the Wisconsin game TV announcement) following the Oct. 2 game at Northwestern on FOX—This game will also be available on NBC’s streaming platform, Peacock.

• Seventh PSU game on NBC-TV in primetime under the current Big Ten TV contract which began in 2023. PSU is 5-1 on NBC over the past 3+ seasons with home wins over West Virginia (2023), Illinois (2024), & Nebraska (2025) with road wins vs. Michigan State in Detroit (2023), & at Wisconsin (2024). The lone loss was vs. Oregon (2025). This is just the sixth game on NBC’s “Big Ten Saturday Night” as the 2023 Michigan State game at Ford Field in Detroit was played the Friday night after Thanksgiving. This is also the 10th game to appear on Peacock streaming including three “Peacock-only” games (2023 Delaware, 2024 Washington, and 2025 Iowa). Penn State is 7-2 on all NBC-owned platforms under the current TV contract. PSU is 1-1 on all NBC platforms for Official White Out games (2-1 if 2024 “White Out Energy” game vs. Illinois is also considered).

• Prior to the current TV package, NBC had not televised a game from Beaver Stadium since the 1964 PSU-Navy game that featured Midshipmen Heisman Trophy winning QB, Roger Staubach, in his lone appearance at Penn State (a 21-8 PSU loss)—NBC aired the Navy game in “color and black & white” on a regional basis primarily in the mid-Atlantic and northeast US. NBC has aired a number of Penn State games over the years, notably bowl games beginning with the 1959 Liberty Bowl (Penn State’s first bowl victory, 7-0 over Alabama). Since 1966, when Penn State began officially tracking TV telecasts, PSU is 12-4 in games played on NBC (including a 7-1 record in Orange & Fiesta Bowls aired on NBC)—PSU is 14-5 if the three Peacock-only games are also included.

• Penn State Radio Network Announcers: Steve Jones (PBP), Jack Ham (Analyst), & Brian Tripp (Sidelines). Jones & Ham are in their 27th season in the booth together. Ham, a member of both the CHOF (1990) and Pro Football Hall of Fame (1988), played linebacker at Penn State (1968-70). Jones (Class of 1980) & Tripp (Class of 2011) are also Penn State grads.