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By Jordan Sigler
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No. 20 USC is 5-1 and has an opportunity to put itself squarely in the College Football Playoff conversation with a win over No. 13 Notre Dame in Week 8. The Trojans enter the game after winning their biggest contest of the season in a 31-13 blowout of then-No. 15 Michigan.
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Southern California came under scrutiny from the Big Ten for a choice they made before playing the Wolverines on Saturday. USC initially ruled out sophomore running back Bryan Jackson for the contest due to a turf toe injury that had him sidelined since Week 1.
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However, a shorthanded backfield caused by in-game injuries to Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders caused USC head coach Lincoln Riley to put Jackson into the game. Jackson rushed five times for 35 yards and one touchdown. Per Antonio Morales of The Athletic, the Big Ten fined the Trojans $5,000 for violating the availability report.
Per The Athletic, the Big Ten released a statement calling the circumstances "unfortunate" but argued the availability report needed to be accurate.
Via The Athletic:
“Although these circumstances were unfortunate, it is critical for availability reports to be accurate. Consequently, the conference is imposing a $5,000 fine and admonishes all institutions to use the ‘out’ designation only if there are no circumstances under which a student-athlete could participate in a game. The conference considers the matter closed and will have no further comment.”
Following USC's win, Riley told the media in his postgame press conference that the Trojans did not plan to play Jackson unless there was a "near catastrophe." Riley claimed USC got in touch with the Big Ten's office, and the team's doctors cleared Jackson to enter the game.
"We were able to get in communication with the league office, explain the situation," Riley said. "Our doctors medically cleared him and it just became a wellness issue for us. So yeah, we made sure to clear it. The kid was ready to go and stepped up.”
The Big Ten's punishment for USC was limited to the fine.
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