USC Opens Practice for Hancock Bowl

USC will begin practicing today for its New Year’s Eve game against Michigan State in the John Hancock Bowl at El Paso.

The Trojans (8-3-1), who ended the regular season with a 10-6 loss to Notre Dame last month, will practice eight days on campus, take two days off for Christmas, then leave for Texas on Dec. 26.

This will be USC’s 34th bowl appearance, its seventh outside the Rose Bowl. The Trojans are 22-11 in bowl games, but they have won only twice in their last seven bowl appearances and are 0-3 outside the Rose Bowl since 1977, when they defeated Texas A&M; in the Bluebonnet Bowl.

Michigan State (7-3-1) won its last five games and shared the Big Ten Conference championship with Iowa, Illinois and Michigan.