The No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (6-1, 4-0 Big Ten) and the No. 25 USC Trojans (6-2, 3-2) meet Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET (NBC). Let's analyze college football odds around the Ohio State vs. USC odds and make our expert college football picks and predictions for the best bets.
USC leads the all-time series 13-10-1; this is the first meeting between these teams as fellow members of the Big Ten conference. The most recent meeting came in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 29, 2017, a 24-7 victory by the Buckeyes. That halted a 7-game win streak by the Trojans dating back to 1975, including 3 Rose Bowl victories.
The last time we saw Ohio State, it was surviving and covering (-2.5)
at Indiana on Oct. 17, winning 19-15 as the Under (49.5) cashed. The Hoosiers nearly had a game-winning TD inside the final minute of regulation on a fourth-down play, but the Hoosiers WR Nick Marsh stepped on the line outside of the endzone. It was a costly victory for the Buckeyes, though, as QB Julian Sayin (shoulder) suffered an injury which has him out indefinitely.
Coach Ryan Day hasn't officially named a starter, but all indications are that true freshman QB Luke Fahey will get the nod, while QB Tavien St. Clair, more of a mobile option, is also expected to work in. Fahey is a 3-star recruit from the state of California.
USC is coming off a disappointing 24-7 loss at Wisconsin last week, and it is just 2-2 SU in the past 4 games, while going 1-5 against the spread (ATS) in the previous 6 outings. USC's defense has struggled, allowing 21+ in 6 consecutive outings.
– Rankings: US LBM Coaches Poll, conducted by the American Football Coaches Association and USA TODAY Sports
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Ohio State at USC odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:05 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Ohio State -220 (bet $220 to win $100) | USC +184 (bet $100 to win $184)
- Against the spread: Ohio State -6.5 (-110) | USC +6.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 51.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
Ohio State at USC picks and predictions
Prediction
Ohio State 26, USC 20
Moneyline
Ohio State (-220) will cost you more than 2 times your potential return, and that's way too much risk for a road team, especially one which will be using a true freshman quarterback making his first start.
However, the USC (+184) defense cannot be trusted, and after the Trojans laid an egg at Wisconsin, there is little reason to back the home side.
PASS.
Against the spread
USC +6.5 (-110) is a risky pick, as a 7-point road win could easily make this go up in smoke. It makes sense to buy a point and take USC +7.5 - ALTERNATE SPREAD (-150), even though you have to pay up a little bit for the insurance.
We've seen Ohio State have mixed results on the road this season, including a 21-0 fourth-quarter collapse at Texas. It has a +20 points differential on the road in 3 games, or 6.7 PPG.
Over/Under
UNDER 51.5 (-115) is the lean, but don't get too carried away.
Again, we have inexperience under center for Ohio State, either with Fahey or St. Clair, and we have USC cashing the Under in each of the past 3 outings. This game won't be mistaken for a defensive slog, but 52 or more points is quite a bit high.
Best prop bet
OHIO STATE WR JEREMIAH SMITH UNDER 93.5 RECEIVING YARDS (-114).
Smith has managed 93 or fewer yards in each of the past 2 games, including just 4 catches for 68 yards and a TD at Indiana, his last game with Sayin for a while. We don't know how Fahey or St. Clair will fare with Smith, but he is likely to take a bit of a dip in production, unless, of course, he has a jump-ball situation, where he shakes off a defender and has a ton of yards after catch.
Betting odds calculator
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Follow Daniel Dobish on X at @danieledobish. Follow SportsbookWire on X at SportsBookWire and on Facebook.
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This article originally appeared on Sportsbook Wire: Ohio State Buckeyes at USC Trojans odds, picks and predictions
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