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The LSU Tigers and the USC Trojans have met just twice in their storied histories, with each team getting a win. USC won a close game over the Tigers in Death Valley in 1979 as the No. 1 team in the country. The Trojans trailed in that game at the start of the fourth quarter before escaping with a slim five-point victory.
LSU vs. USC
It was LSU vs. USC five years later in September 1984 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. LSU, coached by Bill Arnsparger, arrived in Southern California unranked, while the Trojans were ranked No. 15 in the Associated Press (AP) Top 25 Poll and coached by Ted Tollner.
LSU faced a Trojan defense led by linebackers Duane Bickett and Jack Del Rio and safety Tim McDonald.
The Trojan defense had given up just 10 points combined in the previous two weeks against Utah State and Arizona State.
However, on that day in the Coliseum, LSU proved they were too much for the Trojans.
Cat Scratch Fever
LSU running back Dalton Hilliard ran for 2 touchdowns, and the Tigers’ defense forced 5 USC turnovers and held USC out of the end zone for the second consecutive game as the Tigers earned a 23-3 victory over the Men of Troy. Yes, football fans, the mighty Trojans had not scored a touchdown in eight quarters, the first time in 25 years.
LSU linebacker Michael Brooks forced a fumble and recovered one, leading to touchdown drives for the Tigers. Steve Rehage got into the action for the Tigers by intercepting a USC pass in the end zone.
The USC offense was anemic in the game. LSU held two USC quarterbacks to a combined 157 yards passing. The Trojans barely cracked the century mark on the ground, gaining 113 yards rushing along with the lone field goal.
Finishing Strong
After that loss to LSU, USC got back on track and won seven of its next nine games to finish the season with a 9-3 record and a No. 10 final ranking in the final AP poll.
The win was the third of a five-game winning streak for LSU and vaulted the Tigers into the top 25 for the first time at No. 15. The Tigers finished the 1984 season with an 8-3-1 record that included a 21-21 tie with Florida to begin the season. The Tigers rose and fell in the polls before settling at No. 15 in the final AP poll.
Later that season, Bickett was named first-team All-Pac-10 Conference, the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-American. Bickett was selected in the first round, fifth overall, in the 1985 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts.
Del Rio was named a consensus All-American in 1984, and McDonald earned second-team All-Pac-10 honors. Del Rio played 12 years in the NFL and was awarded the Greasy Neale Award in 2016, presented by the Maxwell Football Club, as the top head coach in the NFL during his tenure with the Oakland Raiders.
Hilliard earned first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors for the Tigers in 1984. He was a three-time All-SEC selection and is No. 2 on the school rushing list with 4,050 yards and scored 44 rushing TDs. Hilliard was a second-round pick by the New Orleans Saints in the 1986 NFL Draft and played eight seasons in the Big Easy.
Act III
This year's LSU vs. USC matchup will happen again on Sept. 1 in Las Vegas, 40 years after that LSU win in the Coliseum. The game will feature two first-year starters at quarterback Garrett Nussmeier for LSU and Miller Moss for USC. Both are coming off stellar performances in bowl games.
Nussmeier completed 69 percent of his passes for 395 yards and 3 touchdowns, leading LSU to a come-from-behind 35-31 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers in the ReliaQuest Bowl. He got his first collegiate start in place of 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels, who opted out of the bowl game to prepare for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Moss got his first start in place of Caleb Williams, who also opted out of the bowl game and became the No. 1 overall pick of the Chicago Bears in the 2024 NFL Draft, in the Holiday Bowl and set a bowl record with 6 touchdown passes, passed for 372 yards and completed 70 percent of his passes.
Both teams will utilize revamped defensive coaching staffs, as both teams were abysmal on that side of the ball in 2023. Currently, LSU is a 6.5-point favorite over the Trojans.
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Give me USC and the points. That’s a silly spread. I’ve got ‘SC beating the Bayou Bengals straight up in Vegas. But, sure, I’ll take the points. The Tigers can’t cover ‘SC’s ultra-talented wide receivers.