T-R GRAPHIC

SAN DIEGO — The hammer and the nail are on a collision course.

USC’s juggernaut passing offense and the University of Iowa’s iron-forged defense will intersect on Dec. 27 in the 42nd annual SDCCU Holiday Bowl for the 10th meeting all-time between the two programs.

The 7 p.m. game will be televised on FS1.

“The Hawkeyes are excited to be invited to San Diego to participate in the Holiday Bowl,” said Iowa athletic director Gary Barta. “The host committee and the city of San Diego have a great reputation as incredible hosts and for putting on a first-class event.”

USC (8-4) features the fifth-ranked passing offense in college football, racking up 335.9 yards per game through the air and 33.2 points per game, while Iowa (9-3) is fifth nationally in scoring defense by allowing just 13.2 points per game. Iowa ranks 10th in pass defense (184.2 yards per game) and 12th in total defense (304.3 ypg).

And the Hawkeyes will still have their top pass rusher on the roster.

Junior defensive end A.J. Epenesa, as well as junior right tackle Tristan Wirfs, both said at Sunday’s press conference that they will suit up for the Holiday Bowl.

“You make it through the whole season with your teammates, with your brothers,” said Epenesa. “I haven’t decided if i’m staying or leaving [for the NFL]. I’m just going [to the bowl game], and playing for the guys with me.”

USC holds a 7-2 series advantage over Iowa, including victories in the last six meetings. The only bowl pairing was the 2003 Orange Bowl in which the Trojans rolled to a 38-17 victory, which is also the last time the two teams met.

“We are proud and honored to be part of the 2019 Holiday Bowl,” said USC head coach Clay Helton. “The game is a terrific matchup between teams that finished very strong down the stretch. To have the opportunity compete against a team coached by Kirk Ferentz, who is so respected in our profession, is an honor.

“Our players are excited for this game, which is almost a home game for our fans. We look forward to heading to San Diego and experiencing the first-class hospitality that the Holiday Bowl has given us in the past.”

This will be USC’s third trip to the Holiday Bowl, including back-to-back appearances in 2014 and 2015 when the Trojans defeated Nebraska and lost to Wisconsin, respectively.

Iowa went to the Holiday Bowl three times in a span of six years, going 2-0-1 with a pair of one-point wins over San Diego State and Wyoming and a tie against BYU in the Hawkeyes’ last trip in 1991.

Iowa is 2-4 all-time in west-coast bowl games against teams from the Pac 12 Conference.