USC football team faced controversy at the Las Vegas Bowl as they were housed at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, where workers were on strike for a new contract. Despite efforts by USC to find alternative accommodations to avoid crossing the picket line, they were unable to change hotels on short notice. The Culinary Workers Union criticized USC for not respecting the strike and urged them to find alternative lodging before the game on Dec. 27.
In a bizarre turn of events, senior linebacker Eric Gentry returned to play for USC after a rule change allowed him to preserve his redshirt status despite playing in a postseason game. However, Gentry saw limited action during the game against Texas A&M. Additionally, USC suffered a blow to their offensive line as starting left tackle Elijah Paige was carted off the field in the first quarter, further depleting their already thin depth.
Despite these challenges, USC remained focused on the game and hoped to not let the labor dispute detract from their performance on the field.
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