What channel is the Louisville vs USC game on? Time, TV & live stream for the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl game

The No. 15 Louisville Cardinals (10-3) will be facing the unranked USC Trojans (7-5) at the 2023 DIRECTV Holiday Bowl, in a game that's poised to give the Cardinals their first 11-win season since 2012 and 2013. As expected, Louisville versus USC is also going to highlight the absence of former Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, who has opted out of the bowl game.

Despite that, Lincoln Riley's team remains determined to secure a crucial win so they can build momentum as they head into the Big Ten next year. But of course, standing in their way are the impressive Cardinals, whose 10-3 record doesn't surmise how good they've been all season long.

Louisville's performance was more than enough to get them a berth at the ACC title game. Even if they did lose, they remained among the best teams in the FBS on both sides of the ball: ranking 21st in offensive success rate and 11th in defensive success rate. They'll surely be banking on this against the Trojans, who are likely just happy they even qualified for a Bowl game at all.

What Channel is the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl on?

Live Stream: The bowl game featuring Louisville vs USC will be livestreamed on Fubo TV. This service is one of the best sites for streaming college football presently. Fans can try Fubo out as the service offers a free trial. Aside from that, all plans can be canceled anytime, so there's no obligation to stay.

TV Channel: Fans can catch the 2023 edition of the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl live on FOX. This Bowl is one of the oldest in existence, as it played its very first game way back in 1978. That first matchup was between Navy and BYU, and has since continued every year except 2020 and 2021 due to pandemic-related cancellations.

Unlike USC (four-time Holiday Bowl participant, 57 total Bowl games), this one will be Louisville's first-ever appearance in this specific Bowl. They're no strangers to postseason Bowl play, as the Cardinals have been at this point in the year a total of 26 times. It's also Louisville's third straight Bowl appearance since 2021.

What time is the Louisville vs USC Holiday Bowl Game?

Date: The Holiday Bowl game featuring Louisville versus USC is scheduled for Dec. 27.

Time: Fans can catch the 2023 edition of the Holiday Bowl at 8:00 p.m. ET. It's a bit late compared to other Bowl game schedules for this day, so, it's safe to say that one should prepare adequately if they want to experience this game live.

What to expect in the Holiday Bowl game?

USC's defense may have improved compared to last year, but they're still absolutely atrocious on this side of the ball. And judging by how they finished their regular season winning only one of their last five games, it's clear where they struggle.

The Trojans are ranked all 100 and below in every single major team defense category. It seems like their plan of just going all "attack is the best defense" surely backfired. But maybe that plan could finally click against Louisville, whose defense will likely be clutching at straws trying to contain USC's attack.

For the Cardinals, their defense would likely be overwhelmed by USC's elite passing offense. Even without Caleb Williams, the Trojans will remain extremely deadly in the air--something that Louisville has struggled defending against all season long. So for this game, it will be a battle of whether the Cardinals can hold off against the Trojans' aerial assault.

Who will be the Starting QB for Louisville in the Holiday Bowl?

Louisville quarterback Jack Plummer will once again start in the middle in his sixth season. This is his 39th career start overall, and he'll arguably be leagues above his competition at quarterback based on experience alone.

His stats for the season are absolutely nothing to scoff at: 3,063 on 235-370 attempts, with a 63.5 CMP%. Aside from that, he is also flirting with history as he is approaching 10,000 career passing yards in college.

Who will be the Starting QB for USC in the Holiday Bowl?

Caleb Williams has opted out of this Bowl game after the Trojans' very disappointing finish to the year – likely preparing for the NFL draft. So in his place, Lincoln Riley is tapping Miller Moss, who's making his first career start at quarterback.

Safe to say, Moss will be going up against a stern Louisville defense which ranks 16th in total defense. The Cardinals also feature elite defensive end Ashton Gillotte, who's had 11 sacks for the year and will be returning next season.

Louisville's 2023 schedule before facing USC

DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
SEPT 2	GEORGIA TECH	39-34
SEPT 8	MURRAY STATE	56-0
SEPT 17	INDIANA	21-14
SEPT 24	BOSTON COLLEGE	56-28
SEPT 30	NC STATE	13-10
OCT 8	NOTRE DAME	33-20
OCT 15	PITT	21-38
OCT 29	DUKE	23-0
NOV 5	VIRGINIA TECH	34-3
NOV 10	VIRGINIA	31-24
NOV 19	MIAMI FL	38-31
NOV 26	KENTUCKY	31-38
DEC 3	FLORIDA STATE	6-16

USC's 2023 schedule before facing Louisville

DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
AUG 27	SAN JOSE STATE	56-28
SEPT 3	NEVADA	66-14
SEPT 10	STANFORD	56-10
SEPT 24	ARIZONA STATE	42-28
OCT 1	COLORADO	48-41
OCT 8	ARIZONA	43-41
OCT 15	NOTRE DAME	20-48
OCT 22	UTAH	32-34
OCT 29	CAL	50-49
NOV 5	WASHINGTON	42-52
NOV 12	OREGON	27-36
NOV 19	UCLA	20-38