USC Finalizing Deal to Play Game in Las Vegas Against Big 12 Opponent
USC will kick off the 2027 season with a game in Las Vegas against a College Football Playoff contender.
USC and Texas Tech are in the process of finalizing a deal to stage a matchup in Las Vegas next year, according to Wilson Alexander of On3. This news comes after the College Football Playoff announced plans to increase the tournament field to 24 teams starting in 2027. The game is expected to serve as a season opener in 2027, with both teams still vying for a spot in this year's College Football Playoff.
USC currently stands at 7-2, 4-2 in the Big Ten, while Texas Tech is 8-1, 5-1 in the Big 12. Both teams rank within the top 20 of the CFP rankings. USC faces defending national champion Indiana this Saturday, with their head coach Lincoln Riley acknowledging the intense pressure to secure a playoff spot. Texas Tech, however, has a track record of making deep playoff runs, having reached the quarterfinals last year.
The two teams have met three times before, with USC claiming all three victories, most recently in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on January 2, 1995.
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