Which Jayden Maiava Will USC Get?

If the Jayden Maiava who showed up in State College, handled the hostile environment, and threw for 300 yards and three touchdowns makes an appearance in Bloomington, Indiana, USC will win this game. Conversely, if the Maiava who came off a bye week and headed to Madison, Wisconsin, shows up, things could get ugly again.

I'm not trying to put the entire outcome of this game on Maiava's shoulders. However, this is one of those moments when he needs to prove that he can do more than simply handle a difficult road environment. He needs to demonstrate that he can perform against a quality opponent with a tenacious defense.

And that brings us to the Indiana defense, which allows just 75 yards per game on the ground and 175 through the air.

Maiava has shown that he possesses the physical skill set to make all the throws. On occasion, he's also demonstrated that he can remain disciplined and composed under duress. The question is whether he can put those two things together against one of the best defenses in the country.

Keeping Jayden upright and relatively free of pressure falls on the shoulders of the USC offensive line, which will have had an extra week to prepare for what is arguably the biggest game of the season.

Actually, it's the third "biggest game" of the season, with a fourth still waiting against UCLA. So far, USC is 1-1 in those games, losing at home to Oregon before knocking off Ohio State at the Coliseum.

The Oregon loss was largely a product of the defense allowing the Ducks' backup quarterback to have a Heisman Trophy-caliber night. USC learned its lesson against Ohio State's backup and handled the situation much differently.

The Trojans' defense could be facing a similar situation in Bloomington. Curt Cignetti has said he's uncertain who will start at quarterback against USC. It could be Josh Hoover, who has started every game this season, or seventh-year backup Grant Wilson, who replaced Hoover in Indiana's last game, a 23-16 overtime victory.

One thing is clear: Indiana's defense is elite.

It's championship-caliber.

Last season, it was paired with an explosive offense led by Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza. This year, the defense is still there, however, the offense hasn't been quite as imposing.

If USC's defense can do to Indiana what it did to Ohio State, Maiava could have an opportunity to be the best quarterback with the best offense on the field Saturday.

That's where the game within the game gets interesting.

Perceived weakness versus perceived weakness: USC's defense against Indiana's offense.

The difference is that the Trojans' defense has been coming on during the second half of the season, while Indiana's offense hasn't shown the same level of consistency.

Right now, Cignetti has a bit of a quarterback controversy. He has two options with starting experience, but apparently hasn't settled on one he's completely comfortable with.

Lincoln Riley, on the other hand, knows who his quarterback is. And that could be a significant advantage.

Both programs have elite talent on the outside at wide receiver. USC also has a Bowman when the moment calls.

Both teams want to establish the running game to set up the pass. And both offensive lines have experienced their share of struggles against physical defensive fronts.

Ultimately, this game could come down to which offensive line wins the battle up front.

If USC's offensive line wins the day, Maiava should have the time and opportunity to make plays. And if that happens, the Trojans have a very good chance of leaving Bloomington with a victory.

If USC's O-line wins the day, so will Maiava.