USC adds future non-conference games


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USC football announced Wednesday that they have added future nonconference home games against Utah State, Western Michigan and UNLV.

The Trojans will play Utah State on Sept. 10, 2016, Western Michigan in their 2017 season opener on Sept. 2, and UNLV in their 2019 season opener on Aug. 31.

USC is 5-0 all-time against Utah State, with their last meeting resulting in a 17-14 USC win at the Coliseum in 2013. The Aggies finished 10-4 last season and finished third in the Mountain West with a 6-2. They’re coming off a 21-6 win over UTEP in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl. After winning a total of 23 games from 2003-10, Utah State has won 37 games since 2011.

The 2017 opener will be USC’s first game against a member of the Mid-American Conference. The Broncos finished 8-5 and 6-2, third-best in the MAC, losing 38-24 to Air Force in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. The eight wins are the most in a season for Western Michigan since 2008, when they finished 9-4.

The Trojans have faced UNLV once, resulting in a 35-21 win at the Coliseum in 1997. The Rebels finished 2-11 overall and last in the Mountain West with a 1-7 record. UNLV has two wins in four of the last five seasons.

USC plays three nonconference games every season, including their annual rivalry game against Notre Dame, which was extended to the 2023 season in 2013.

The Trojans will open the 2016 season against Alabama in the Cowboys Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. They’ll play a home-and-home against Texas, with the game taking place at the Coliseum in 2017 and in Austin in 2018, and an away game against BYU in 2019. The Trojans and Cougars will play in Los Angeles in 2021 and 2023.

The Trojans play Arkansas State in their 2015 season opener on Sept. 5, and Idaho on              Sept. 12, both at the Coliseum. They’ll face Notre Dame in South Bend, Indianapolis, on Oct. 17.