USC quarterback Caleb Williams will not play in Holiday Bowl

It appears as though USC quarterback Caleb Williams has suited up in a Trojans uniform for the final time.

Head coach Lincoln Riley confirmed on Monday that Williams will not play in the Holiday Bowl, according to On3’s Scott Schrader.

USC is set to face Louisville in the Holiday Bowl, which is scheduled for Dec. 27 at 8 p.m.

Caleb Williams is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, despite not having the junior season that most expected him to.

Williams passed for 3,633 yards and 30 touchdowns, with five interceptions this season. He added 11 rushing touchdowns.

Those numbers are obviously excellent, but they do not rival last year’s stats when Williams won the Heisman after passing for more than 4,500 yards and 42 touchdowns.

Without Caleb Williams, USC will have its work cut out for it against a Louisville team that reached the ACC Championship Game this season. USC enters the Holiday Bowl with a 7-5 record, while Louisville is 10-3.

USC vs Louisville odds: Holiday Bowl point spread released

It’s bowl season, which means it’s time for an exciting slate of non-conference college football matchups throughout December and January. One of the most intriguing games will take place on the West Coast on December 27, as USC will take on No. 15 Louisville in the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl.

According to FanDuel, the Cardinals open up as 6.5-point favorites against the Trojans, with the point total over-under sitting at 57.5 points. Both teams have proven on various occasions they can put some points on the board this season, but what other factors will play a role in this year’s edition of the Holiday Bowl?

How to watch USC vs Louisville

Time: December 27 — 8 p.m. ET
Channel: FOX, FuboTV
Location: San Diego, CA

Overall, it’s been a tale of two halves for USC this year, starting off the season 6-0 and finishing it off 1-5. Their defensive struggles continued to mount throughout the season, giving up 34.9 points per game which ranked 11th worst in the FBS this season, ultimately leading to the firing of defensive coordinator Alex Grinch after their Week 10 loss to Washington.

USC’s offense has impressed this season as the nation’s fourth-best scoring unit in the country, but they’ll have to stand toe to toe with a stout Cardinals defense that held opponents to under 20 points per game this season. And they may have to do so without the help of Williams and with the ACC’s sack leader Ashton Gillotte chasing down whoever is under center for the Trojans.

Louisville is fresh off of falling to Florida State in the ACC Championship game, but the Cardinals still had an impressive 10-win season in their first year under head coach Jeff Brohm.

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Their defense has been stout, but their offense has stood out as well, and could go score for score with the Trojans at Petco Park later this month. Cardinals quarterback Jack Plummer was the ACC’s second-leading passer this season, their running back Jawhar Jordan was the conference’s second-leading rusher, and wideout Jamari Thrash ended the year as the ACC’s third-leading receiver. Setting the table for what should be an exciting matchup filled with explosive playmakers in the 44th Holiday Bowl.