Missouri State will kick off its Conference USA and FBS era at USC on Saturday. Here's what you need to know and our prediction for the game.
The countdown to Missouri State football's new era is almost complete, with the kickoff between the Bears and USC Trojans taking place in the coming days.
Missouri State's first moments as an FBS member in Conference USA will take place on Saturday, Aug. 30, at 6:30 p.m. CT at the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum against USC. The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
Third-year Bears coach Ryan Beard enters the season with Jacob Clark still at quarterback, who will have the opportunity to expand his legacy as one of the school's all-time greats, while also leading his team through its first year in its FCS-to-FBS transition. The Bears have several new faces on defense, as well as a few newcomers at skill positions on offense.
USC enters its second season in the Big Ten and fourth under Lincoln Riley, who coached against the Bobby Petrino-led Bears in 2020. Oklahoma won the game 48-0 as Beard served in his first game as the Bears' defensive coordinator during a COVID-19-impacted fall schedule.
Here is a scouting report, our predictions and what you need to know about the Trojans entering Saturday.
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Missouri State vs USC football prediction
Missouri State fans will watch with pride when the Bears run out onto one of the nation's most historic sporting venues, ushering in a new era of athletics at Springfield's largest university. It will mark a marquee moment for the school once the ball's kicked off, as the Bears play as an FBS member in Conference USA for the first time.
After that? It's just the same football game the Bears have been playing, where touchdowns still count as six points, and you start out needing 10 yards on first downs.
USC will be a big favorite to beat the Bears, despite being unranked in a preseason poll for the first time since 2019. That year, USC was coming off its first losing season in nearly two decades. This year, the Trojans are coming off a 7-6 campaign, which was their first in the Big Ten.
Pressure is mounting on Lincoln Riley to deliver a winner for USC. Not since 2022, when Caleb Williams won the Heisman, have the Trojans qualified for a New Year's Six Bowl or come close to making the College Football Playoff. His buyout is likely a beast, but he needs to show some promise and deliver, similar to the way he did before departing Oklahoma.
Lucky for him, his defense took a big step forward in 2024, with talent along the defensive line and secondary returning this year. No one questions Riley's offensive mind, which still ranks among the best at any level of football. The Trojans' offense boasts a wealth of weapons across the field, which should keep them among the top passing offenses in the country.
Expectations for the Bears to enter this game and pose a threat aren't high, but they've surprised on these types of stages before, and we'll see if they can do it again.
Missouri State vs USC scouting report
Why USC has an advantage: There's a lot of pressure on Riley to show those in Southern Cal something, and the Trojans are unlikely to overlook an opponent to open the season. They don't play the most difficult of schedules through the first four weeks, so the Trojans' best bet at making a statement until playing at Illinois on Sept. 27 will be to blow their opponents out.
On the field, wide receivers Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane are Day 1 and 2 NFL Draft prospects and will present the Bears' new-look secondary with challenges. Lemon, being a smaller, explosive receiver, fits the mold of a receiver Riley always seems to have in his offenses, and Lane boasts super athleticism at 6-foot-4. The Trojans had the No. 10 passing offense last season and allowed the 17th fewest sacks in the FBS.
Secondary talent is also aplenty for the Trojans with safety Kamari Ramsey and corner D.J. Harvey contributing to the Big Ten's second-best third-down defense. USC took a major step defensively last season, going from a team that allowed 34 points per game in 2023 to 24 points per game in 2024 upon the hiring of defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn.
Why Missouri State has an advantage: It's difficult to find where the Bears' advantage might be, but we've seen the Bears rise to the occasion and challenge their toughest opponents at different points over the last five years. If USC overlooks MSU, the Bears are capable of delivering a scare.
The Bears led Arkansas by 10 early in the fourth quarter in 2022 before losing by 11. Down seven, they were deep in Oklahoma State territory in 2021, with Bobby Petrino planning to go for two and the win before coming up a few plays short.
Could Jacob Clark be the better quarterback in this game? USC's Jayden Maiava was a little turnover-prone last year, but everyone knows the QB in a Riley system tends to end up with Heisman praise by the end of the year. Maiava might be the most talented of the two, but Clark's maturity and experience could make him the better QB at the moment, with Maiava expected to take big steps as the season goes along.
Missouri State vs USC score prediction
USC 45, Missouri State 14
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri State football vs USC: Scouting report, prediction
Category: General Sports
