Becht and Penn State Host the White Out Without Howard Maiava Brings No. 19 USC

USC vs Penn State at a glance

No. 19 USC (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) visits Penn State (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten) for the White Out on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, at 7:30 PM ET (4:30 PM PT) at Beaver Stadium, on NBC and Peacock. Jayden Maiava (1,744 yards, 15 TD) brings USC’s passing game against a Penn State pass defense allowing 112.4 yards a game, fourth in FBS, while Rocco Becht tries to end a two-game slide without his top receiver, Koby Howard. Penn State is a 1.5-point favorite, total 54.5.

Kickoff and TV

Saturday, Oct. 10, 7:30 PM ET, 4:30 PM PT. NBC and Peacock.

Stadium

Beaver Stadium, University Park, Pennsylvania. Natural grass. The White Out. The National Weather Service forecast (Oct. 9): partly sunny, high near 67, showers likely only after 2 AM Sunday.

Quarterbacks

Confirmed Jayden Maiava for USC: 1,744 yards, 15 TD, 3 INT. Confirmed Rocco Becht for Penn State: 1 TD and 3 INT in two Big Ten games, including 12 of 29 against Wisconsin.

The line

Penn State −1.5, total 54.5, moneyline Penn State −122 and USC +102 (DraftKings via Yahoo, Oct. 8). The total opened 56.5. Kalshi had Penn State at 52¢ bid, 53¢ ask, read 11:55 PM PT Thursday.

Ruled out

Out Penn State WR Koby Howard (third straight game), DE Max Granville (season), DE LaVar Arrington II, LB Cam Smith. USC LB Roman Marchetti.

Questionable

Questionable USC LT Hayden Treter, WR Trent Mosley, TE Mark Bowman, WR Terrell Anderson, DT Jakeem Stewart, DT Jide Abasiri. Penn State DT Armstrong Nnodim, LB Alex Tatsch.

The matchup that decides it

Maiava against the fourth-ranked pass defense in the country, behind a left tackle who is questionable.

The storylines

The first meeting in Happy Valley since 1994

USC leads the series 6-5. Penn State won the last meeting 33-30 in overtime at the Coliseum in 2024 after trailing 20-6 at the half (Penn State game notes).

Matt Campbell’s first losing streak

After a 3-0 start in his first season, Penn State lost 24-20 to Wisconsin, which scored twice in the last four minutes, and 34-13 at Northwestern, which ran for 413 yards. Campbell: “There were a lot of missed tackles.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

The White Out

Penn State is 11-7 in full-stadium White Outs, per its game notes. The last one ended a six-game streak with a 30-24 double-overtime loss to Oregon in 2025.

USC on the road

Lincoln Riley’s USC is 3-8 when it travels two or more time zones (StateCollege.com), and it had 9 penalties for 94 yards against Washington.

Sources: Penn State game notes, Philadelphia Inquirer, AP, StateCollege.com.

USC vs Penn State injury report

The Big Ten availability report from Wednesday, Oct. 7 (On3 and the Daily Collegian, read Oct. 9). The final report comes before kickoff.

How USC and Penn State got here

USC: 5-1

Beat San Jose State 42-26, Fresno State 39-0, Louisiana 49-30 and Rutgers 42-35 on the road (Maiava 277 yards, King Miller 102 rushing), lost 41-27 to Oregon (Maiava 326 yards), then beat Washington 25-21 with four sacks.

Penn State: 3-2

Beat Marshall 45-0, Temple 27-9 and Buffalo 55-13, then lost 24-20 to Wisconsin (Becht 12 of 29, 129 yards) and 34-13 at Northwestern (Becht 224 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT).

Where USC vs Penn State gets decided

Maiava against the Penn State secondary

Maiava has 15 TD and 3 INT. Audavion Collins has 7 pass breakups, tied for fourth nationally.

Why it matters: Penn State allows 112.4 passing yards a game, fourth in FBS, the best unit on the field.

USC’s run game against a front that just gave up 413

Penn State allows 173.2 rushing yards a game; King Miller ran for 102 at Rutgers and 81 against Washington.

Why it matters: if USC runs early, Penn State’s pass defense stops mattering.

Becht’s slide

Nine TD and no interceptions in three non-conference games; 353 yards, 1 TD and 3 INT in two Big Ten games.

Why it matters: Howard, his top deep target, is still out.

Tony Rojas against a banged-up USC line

Rojas leads Penn State with 34 tackles, 7.5 for loss, 3 sacks and 2 interceptions.

Why it matters: USC’s left tackle is questionable, and Rojas is the only FBS player with 7.5 tackles for loss and 2 interceptions.

Third down

Opponents convert 22.7% of third downs against Penn State.

Why it matters: it is the main reason Penn State allows 16.0 points a game.

Kalshi against the books

Kalshi had Penn State at 52¢ to sell and 53¢ to buy at 11:55 PM PT Thursday: close to a coin flip with a small home lean. DraftKings’ moneyline, Penn State −122 and USC +102, works out to about 52 to 53% for Penn State once the bookmaker’s margin comes out, so the two agree.

The total fell from 56.5 to 54.5 while the public leaned to the over (WagerTalk): the books expect less scoring than USC’s 37.3 a game. Treter’s status is the news most likely to move the price before kickoff.