Hoosiers Control Their Own Destiny: Thursday’s HFT USC Preview and CFP Breakdown

Thursday, November 12, 2026 | 7:30 p.m. ET | Hoosier Football Tailgate

Indiana’s path forward is in its own hands. With USC coming to Memorial Stadium on Saturday, the Hoosiers face a pivotal Big Ten matchup with major implications for the conference championship race and the College Football Playoff. On tonight’s Hoosier Football Tailgate, Coach Shannon Griffith breaks down what Indiana must do to earn the next victory.

Hoosiers Control Their Own Destiny — But It Must Be Earned

As Curt Cignetti’s message reminds us: “Always earned and never given.” That is the theme of Thursday’s show. Indiana cannot rely on rankings, national narratives or favorable results elsewhere. It must execute against a talented USC team on Saturday.

Tonight’s Show: What We’ll Break Down

• Offense vs. offense and defense vs. defense: A complete Tale of the Tape comparing Indiana and USC.
• Cross-matchups: Indiana’s offense against USC’s defense, and USC’s offense against Indiana’s defense.
• USC players to watch: The offensive threats and defensive difference-makers who could shape Saturday’s game.
• Coach Griff’s Clicker: Three matchups that could decide the outcome.
• Game objectives: The measurable standards Indiana must meet on both sides of the ball.
• Big Ten and CFP implications: What the latest rankings mean for Indiana’s championship ambitions and its road ahead.

Coach Griff’s Eight Objectives

Offense: Rush for at least 180 yards; stay on schedule and avoid long-yardage situations; take vertical shots; score 30 or more points.

Defense: Hold USC under 100 rushing yards; limit the Trojans to 250 passing yards or fewer; win the turnover battle; record at least three sacks.

The Road Ahead

Indiana hosts USC on November 14, travels to Washington on November 21 and returns to Bloomington for Purdue on November 28. Saturday’s USC matchup is the immediate priority, with each remaining game carrying significance for the Big Ten race and postseason positioning.

Watch Tonight at 7:30 PM ET

[EDITOR: EMBED TONIGHT’S YOUTUBE LIVESTREAM HERE]

Join Coach Shannon Griffith for analysis grounded in game film, matchups and the numbers behind the story. Subscribe to the Hoosier Football Tailgate YouTube channel and follow along at HoosierTailgate.com.

For more pregame preparation, read our Indiana–USC Tale of the Tape and USC scouting report.

[EDITOR: ADD THE HFT INDIANA–USC THUMBNAIL AS FEATURED IMAGE BEFORE PUBLISHING]