As a college football fan, it doesn't get much better than Michigan vs. USC, in the LA Coliseum with the sun setting.
That's what Michigan football fans, and fans everywhere, will be treated to on Saturday night as the two traditional college football powers will meet for the second straight season.
Michigan knocked off USC in a top-25 matchup in Ann Arbor a season ago. This year, the two teams will meet with identical 4-1 records. The Wolverines are ranked 15th. USC is unranked, but that will change this weekend with a win.
In terms of the College Football Playoff, the game is crucial for both teams. If USC beats Michigan, it can at least put itself in the playoff conversation. A loss puts them behind the 8-ball.
Whichever teams loses won't be out of the playoff race. However, it would probably need to win out, which isn't easy to do in the 18-team Big Ten. Just winning a game isn't easy as we learned last week.
UCLA, Purdue, and Wisconsin, three of the worst teams in the conference, played with three of the best: Penn State, Illinois, and Michigan. Penn State lost. Anything can happen, especially when you travel across the country.
Looking ahead to Saturday's showdown, here are five questions facing the Wolverines.
Can Michigan survive the travel?
Traveling across two time zones and winning isn't easy. Michigan football has a 1-10 record in such games in the 21st Century. according to Zach Shaw of 247 Sports.
The only win was the Rose Bowl win over Alabama. Big Ten teams are 3-12 in such games. Penn State just lost last week to UCLA.
Michigan lost to Washington last season in a similar spot. The Wolverines were 4-1 before the trip to Seattle. Yet, there is one difference: The Wolverines know who their quarterback is, and he just threw for 270 yards and zero interceptions against Wisconsin. He can run, too.
Some great Michigan teams have struggled to win out West, though. Sherrone Moore is having the Michigan football team travel to Los Angeles on Thursday. They will practice at the Chargers facility, thanks to Jim Harbaugh. We'll see if that makes a difference.