On Tuesday the Pac-12 Conference announced an alliance with the Big Ten and ACC Conferences for scheduling purposes and more. Just a day later it was announced that the USC Trojans would play a team from the SEC in the 2024 season opener.
According to Ross Dellener of Sports Illustrated, the LSU Tigers and USC Trojans have agreed to play in Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. This marks the first time these two teams have met since 1984, the year LSU defeated USC 23-3 in Los Angeles. They have only played twice with the road team winning each time. The rubber match comes on neutral grounds.
#LSU & USC will meet to open the 2024 season on Labor Day weekend at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, source tells @SINow.
One day after “The Alliance” announcement, the Pac-12’s historic football power finalizes a deal to play an SEC team on ESPN/ABC in Vegas.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 25, 2021
Plenty of storylines could come of this matchup including Ed Orgeron playing the team he once led as the interim head coach. They opted to hire Lane Kiffin over Orgeron during the 2013 season. Provided Orgeron is still in charge of the Tigers in 2024, no doubt that redemption could be on his mind. However, I don’t think anyone would admit to it.
Both times that these teams have met it occurred on Sept. 29 in 1979 and 1984. Both were low-scoring affairs. With the way offenses are exploding on the football field, they could light up the scoreboard in Vegas.
LSU is set to open this season against UCLA in Pasadena, the next two seasons will be against Florida State on neutral sites and then UCLA once again in late August. According to the future schedules. If that holds true, the Tigers will play both UCLA and USC on back-to-back weekends in 2024.