Penn State and USC will be a true test in 2024 Big Ten football season

USC football plays at Michigan on Sept. 21. The Trojans might still be getting used to their new defensive scheme. The offensive line and Miller Moss might still be immersed in a feeling-out process. The Trojans might not yet be fully aware of who they are as a football team. They might not be entirely sure of what they can achieve. That’s one significant storyline in any early-season matchup. USC and Michigan will both likely face questions heading into their Big Ten opener. The timing of that game is a key detail. The same cannot be said of the USC football game versus Penn State on Oct. 12.

By that point in time, USC and Penn State will have substantially — if not fully — installed their schemes. Players and coaches should be on the same page, knowing exactly what to do. In this sense, the USC-Penn State game is a true test of the two sides. Timing won’t factor into the outcome. Weather won’t be a factor. Various other intangibles won’t be factors. It will be a classic football challenge: Which team is better? That’s it. No sidebars, no distractions, no palace intrigue. In this sense, PSU-USC is a pure football game.

We talked more about this at The Voice of College Football:

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