Big Ten Showdown: No. 20 Oregon vs No. 12 USC Headlines Saturday's NBC Slate
College football fans in Iowa have a prime-time treat this Saturday as No. 20 Oregon travels to Los Angeles to face No. 12 USC in a pivotal Big Ten matchup. The game kicks off at 7:30 PM ET (6:30 PM CT) from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, with national broadcast coverage on NBC and streaming available on Peacock.
The contest is the marquee game of a three-game Saturday lineup on NBC platforms, which also includes No. 3 Notre Dame facing Purdue and Wisconsin battling No. 13 Penn State. For Iowa viewers, the slate offers a deep look at the conference landscape the Hawkeyes compete in, with several ranked opponents in action.
Oregon seeks to avoid early-season collapse
The Ducks entered the season ranked No. 2 in the Preseason AP Poll, but a Week 2 loss at Oklahoma State has already dented their College Football Playoff hopes. Oregon bounced back emphatically last week with an 84-0 demolition of FCS Portland State, the largest home victory in program history.
Senior quarterback Dante Moore rebounded from a shaky performance against the Cowboys, throwing for 280 yards and tying a career-high with four touchdown passes. Moore completed just 48.3 percent of his passes in the Oklahoma State loss, making Saturday's test against a ranked USC defense critical for his confidence and the team's trajectory.
The Ducks are aiming to avoid becoming the 10th preseason top-2 team to start 2-2 or worse through four games, a dubious distinction that would effectively end their national title ambitions.
USC off to best start under Lincoln Riley
The Trojans are 4-0 for the first time under head coach Lincoln Riley, but the schedule stiffens considerably from here. Four of USC's next six games come against ranked opponents, starting with Oregon on Saturday.
Redshirt senior quarterback Jayden Maiava has been the engine of USC's fast start. Maiava leads the FBS with 1,173 passing yards and 12 touchdown passes, while throwing just one interception through four games. His efficiency and playmaking have kept the Trojans undefeated, but the gauntlet ahead will test whether that production holds against elite defenses.
How to watch No. 20 Oregon vs No. 12 USC
- When: Saturday, September 26
- Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
- Time: 7:30 PM ET / 6:30 PM CT
- TV Channel: NBC
- Live Stream: Peacock
Full Saturday slate on NBC and Peacock
Before the marquee night game, NBC platforms carry two afternoon matchups with Big Ten implications:
- No. 3 Notre Dame vs Purdue, 2:00 PM ET on NBCSN and Peacock
- Wisconsin vs No. 13 Penn State, 5:00 PM ET on NBCSN and Peacock
- No. 20 Oregon vs No. 12 USC, 7:30 PM ET on NBC and Peacock
For Iowa fans, the Wisconsin-Penn State game offers a useful measuring stick. The Badgers and Nittany Lions both sit in the conference's upper tier, and their performances Saturday will shape the race Iowa must navigate this fall.
How to stream college football on Peacock
Viewers who have not yet subscribed to Peacock can sign up to watch all live sports on the platform, including Big Ten and Notre Dame football. Existing subscribers can sign in with their email and password on any supported device. Those who need to reset a forgotten password can do so through the account recovery process.
Peacock Premium subscribers can upgrade to Premium Plus by navigating to Plans and Payments in their account settings. The platform supports a wide range of devices, including smart TVs, streaming sticks, game consoles, and mobile devices.
What is the Big Ten?
The Big Ten Conference, founded in 1896, is the oldest college athletic conference in the NCAA. Its membership includes Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Maryland, Michigan State, Indiana, Rutgers, Purdue, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Northwestern. Notre Dame's men's ice hockey and Johns Hopkins' men's lacrosse teams also compete in the conference.
Starting in the 2024-2025 academic year, UCLA, USC, Washington, and Oregon joined the Big Ten, expanding the conference's footprint to the West Coast. That realignment is why Saturday's Oregon-USC game carries conference implications, a development that reshapes the competitive landscape for traditional Midwest programs like Iowa.
What else can Iowa fans watch on Peacock?
Beyond college football, Peacock streams a broad range of live sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, Premier League, NCAA basketball, golf, motorsports, and major global events. The service positions itself as a one-stop destination for sports fans who want broad coverage without juggling multiple subscriptions.
For Iowa viewers, the platform's Big Ten coverage is particularly valuable, offering access to games that might otherwise require a cable package. As the conference expands and media rights shift, streaming services like Peacock are becoming an increasingly important part of how fans follow their teams.
Saturday's Oregon-USC game is more than a marquee matchup; it is a test of whether the new Big Ten order holds. Oregon needs a statement win to salvage its season, while USC must prove its undefeated record is built on more than a soft early schedule. Iowa fans watching from home will get a clear picture of the challenges awaiting their Hawkeyes later this season.