The Iowa Hawkeyes and USC Trojans will meet in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon. Iowa (6‑3) travels west to face a Trojan squad (7‑2) that remains alive in the playoff hunt, though they will need Indiana or Ohio State to lose to open the door for them in the race to make the Big Ten championship game. Before kickoff from the Coliseum, continue reading to get my Iowa vs USC prediction.
Our Iowa vs USC Pick
- Pick: Over 48.5
- Confidence: ★★★★☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Iowa Hawkeyes vs USC Trojans
- Date & Time: Saturday, November 15, 2025, 3:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
- Broadcast: Big Ten Network (BTN)
Key Storylines
These two programs are known for very different styles of play. USC is known for playing an up-tempo style that prioritizes offense. Iowa is known for dominating games by running the football and playing defense. The team that does the best job of imposing its preferred style on this game will have a great chance to get a win in this top 25 matchup.
Iowa had a three-game winning streak snapped in its last game, losing by two points to the Oregon Ducks. Their two losses in Big Ten play came against top 10 teams in Oregon and Indiana. They will try to avoid another loss to a ranked team in conference play here and they will need their defense to step up in a big way if that is going to happen.
USC is 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the Big Ten this season. They have won two games in a row coming into this game and they are undefeated at home on the year. If USC loses here they will be out of contention in the race for the Big Ten and the playoff and they will try to protect their home turf to keep all of those hopes alive.
Quarterback Play
USC quarterback Jayden Maiava is the engine of their Trojans’ offense. He has thrown multiple touchdown passes in five of his last six games and is operating one of the top passing attacks in the Big Ten at 303 passing yards per game. Iowa’s defense will try to force him into mistakes.
Iowa quarterback Mark Gronkowski offers less passing efficiency than Maiava but brings value as a rushing threat. He comes into this game with 12 rushing touchdowns this season. Iowa hopes to control tempo, keep USC off balance, and win this game with their defense. But USC’s offense is built to punish teams that fall behind.
Betting Trends
- USC is 5-4 against the spread so far this season.
- Iowa is 6-2-1 against the spread going into this weekend’s game.
- The under is 5-4 in Iowa’s games this year.
- USC has gone 5-4 to the over so far this season.
Iowa vs USC Model Projection
Score Projection: USC 30 – Iowa 21
Win Probability: USC 67% / Iowa 33%
Final Thoughts
My best bet for this Big Ten matchup is for the over to cash in Los Angeles. The Trojans’ defense should let Iowa do some scoring in this contest, while the Trojans do enough to win the game. I’ll bank on USC staying over .500 when it comes to cashing overs this year.
