The Trojans are back in the spotlight and this time, the lights shine on their biggest test yet. Coming off a statement win against Northwestern that pushed them to 7-2, USC’s next challenge is the No. 20 Iowa Hawkeyes, a team that bleeds defense like few others in college football. Vegas has USC as 6.5-point favorites, but as anyone who’s watched Iowa play knows, betting against Phil Parker’s defense isn’t always smart. And Lincoln Riley knows it too.

In a new episode on USCAthletics on November 10, Lincoln Riley didn’t sugarcoat his respect for the Hawkeyes’ stingy unit. “Yeah, good group.I think kind of like they are most years, again, which is a compliment,” he said. “Very good on the defensive line. They’ve got some really good secondary players. A lot of guys that have played a lot of snaps for them and just very steady, have a system you can tell they believe in and they do a good job executing it. So, it’ll be a fun challenge for us.” Iowa’s defense is suffocating, giving up only 13 points per game, one of the lowest marks in the nation. And they’ve done it against legit competition.

Oregon, averaging over 41 points per contest, had to fight tooth and nail just to escape Kinnick Stadium with an 18-16 victory. Iowa entered that matchup ranked second nationally in total defense, allowing just 234.9 yards per game. It’s the same story every week. The Hawkeyes hold the line only for the offense to sputter out. Against Indiana, they allowed 20 points and lost. Against Iowa State, they gave up 16 and lost again. Three narrow defeats where the defense was asked to save the day, and each time, came up one play short. That’s the cruel irony. One of the most disciplined defenses in America can’t overcome its own offense.

When Oregon’s Atticus Sappington drilled that 39-yard field goal with three seconds left, you could hear the collective heartbreak across Iowa City. Senior safety Xavier Nwankpa didn’t run from it. “Someone has to step up and make a play. It was down to us defensively,” he admitted postgame. “We like being in that position. But at the end of the day, we just didn’t get the job done.” It’s a gut punch because in all three of Iowa’s losses, the defense had the game on its fingertips. And Phil Parker’s unit has worn the brunt of that frustration all week.

Still, this is the same group that’s kept Iowa’s season alive. LB Karson Sharar leads the team with 46 tackles and a sack, while the defensive line continues to maul opponents at the line of scrimmage. The question is can they hang for all 60 minutes against USC’s speed?

USC’s offensive firepower vs. Iowa’s iron wall

Through nine games, USC QB Jayden Maiava has been the picture of poise with 2,614 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and just six picks. He’s been sacked only nine times, and his legs have kept drives alive, adding another six rushing scores. His chemistry with Makai Lemon (937 yards, seven TDs) and Ja’Kobi Lane (520 yards, four TDs) has turned USC into a headline. But the problem is Iowa doesn’t care about headlines. They care about breaking rhythm, forcing punts, and making you fight for every inch.

On the flip side, Iowa’s offense, led by Mark Gronowski (946 yards, 4 TDs, 4 INTs), and RB Kamari Moulton (435 yards, 2 TDs), will try to chew clock and keep Lincoln Riley’s explosive offense off the field. The Hawkeyes also got WR Sam Phillips who leads the program with 204 yards. Something has to give.

When USC and Iowa clash on Saturday, November 15, at 12:30 p.m. PT in the L.A. Coliseum, it will be a chess match between Lincoln Riley’s offensive wizardry and Phil Parker’s defensive discipline. And if their past tells us anything, Iowa’s defense won’t make it easy.