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Wk 2 · 2026

Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns at USC Trojans — Sat, Sep 12

Sat, Sep 12 · Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA · BTN FINAL

Weather

No forecast yet. Forecasts reach about 16 days ahead, so this fills in nearer the game. A seasonal average printed here would look exactly like a forecast, which is why there is not one.
Sun Belt · 4-2
30
at
11:00pET
USC -30.5 · total 58.5 DraftKings opened -28.5 · 2 toward USC
Ratings differential USC by 18.0
Big Ten · 6-1
49

What is at stake

A non-conference game. It moves both overall records but neither conference race. USC is ranked #19 (AP Top 25 · 2026-10-04).

What the ratings imply

The differential above is arithmetic on two published numbers: The CFB King’s 2026 final efficiency ratings, plus 2.4 points of home field. It is not a projection, a value, an edge or a lean, and nothing on this site compares it with the betting line to tell you one is better. Until 2026 games are played it is last season’s measurement of two teams that have changed.

Efficiency · 2026 ratings

Louisiana: -3.6#84
Efficiency margin
USC: +12.0#24
Louisiana: 28.2
Offense (pts/100)
USC: 38.9
Louisiana: 22.9
Defense (pts/100)
USC: 17.9
Louisiana: 65.3
Pace (plays/g)
USC: 69.3
Louisiana: 5.85
Yards / play
USC: 6.67
Louisiana: 4.99
Yards / play allowed
USC: 5.95
Opponent-adjusted ratings from The College King's 2026 final numbers. Bars share a scale within each row, so the two lengths are comparable; the brighter side is the better of the two, and a longer bar is the better number — including the rows where a lower figure is the good one. Pace is the exception: it is how fast a team plays, not how well, so neither side is lit and a longer bar there means only more plays.

Team stats · 2026 per game

Louisiana: 29.5
Points / game
USC: 36.4
Louisiana: 21.5
Points allowed
USC: 25.1
Louisiana: 382
Yards / game
USC: 462
Louisiana: 304
Yards allowed
USC: 350
Louisiana: 203
Pass yds allowed
USC: 239
Louisiana: 101
Rush yds allowed
USC: 111
Louisiana: 1.67
Turnovers / game
USC: 0.86
From completed 2026 box scores; defensive yardage covers the regular season and conference championships.

Louisiana form

L 31-32at LTW 23-20vs ARSTW 34-7at CLTW 21-14vs UABL 30-49at USC
2026 season

USC form

W 31-23at PSUW 25-21vs WASHL 27-41vs OREW 42-35at RUTGW 49-30vs UL
2026 season

Louisiana this season

Straight up4-2 · 67% (6 games)
Against the spread4-1-1 · 80% (6 games)
Over / under2-4 · 33% (6 games)

USC this season

Straight up6-1 · 86% (7 games)
Against the spread2-5 · 29% (7 games)
Over / under4-3 · 57% (7 games)
Lines are captured from ESPN's board before kickoff and locked at kickoff, so an in-play price cannot overwrite the number a game is graded against.

Common opponents · 0

These teams share no opponents on the 2026 schedule.
Open these two in the comparison tool for every shared and unshared opponent.

Series history · 2006–2026

Since 2006, USC leads 1–0 · USC won the last one
1 meeting in 2006–2026 · average margin 19.0 points toward USC
Yr DateResultSiteWon
20262026-09-12Louisiana 30 — 49 USCat USCUSC

Louisiana leaders 2026 regular season

PassingLunch Winfield QB #783/110, 844 YDS, 2 TD, 2 INT
Daniel Beale QB #115/8, 52 YDS, 1 INT
RushingLunch Winfield QB #769 CAR, 364 YDS, 7 TD
Anthony Reagan Jr. RB #2239 CAR, 160 YDS, 2 TD
Darrell Smith RB #030 CAR, 156 YDS, 2 TD
ReceivingKeDarius Wade WR #97 REC, 125 YDS
Russell Babineaux WR #1014 REC, 116 YDS, 1 TD
Caden Jensen TE #8810 REC, 110 YDS
Brock Chappell TE #839 REC, 100 YDS
Defense
TacklesConor McPherson LB #631
Brent Gordon Jr. CB #1129
Collin Jacob S #3528
SacksAshley Williams LB #21.5
Lance Williams DE #91
Avery Demery CB #101
InterceptionsBrent Gordon Jr. CB #112
Jake St. Andre LB #441
Collin Jacob S #351

USC leaders 2026 regular season

PassingJayden Maiava QB #14131/191, 1744 YDS, 15 TD, 3 INT
Jonas Williams QB #1512/14, 126 YDS, 1 INT
RushingKing Miller RB #895 CAR, 493 YDS, 3 TD
Waymond Jordan RB #257 CAR, 265 YDS, 2 TD
Shahn Alston RB #2217 CAR, 92 YDS, 1 TD
ReceivingKayden Dixon-Wyatt WR #1725 REC, 372 YDS, 3 TD
Zacharyus Williams WR #014 REC, 258 YDS, 1 TD
Trent Mosley WR #413 REC, 255 YDS, 4 TD
Mark Bowman TE #1921 REC, 204 YDS, 2 TD
Defense
TacklesChristian Pierce S #635
Deven Bryant LB #1733
Luke Wafle DE #9422
SacksKennedy Urlacher S #92
Alex Graham CB #72
Jadyn Ramos DE #952
InterceptionsProphet Brown CB #162
Christian Pierce S #61
These are regular-season totals for the season named on each card — the players who led that team that year, taken from ESPN's team leaders. That list is keyed to the season, not to today's roster, so a leader who has since transferred or run out of eligibility still appears against the year he earned it; the roster pages and the depth chart on each team page are where the current squad is. A team switches to this season's numbers once it has played a game. The roster pages count bowl games too, so a player's two lines can differ by a game.