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Check out FanDuel’s 2022 college football over under win total odds, including the USC over under win total prediction, part of our college football odds series.
Here we go. Lincoln Riley shocked everyone in the college football world when he left Oklahoma at the height of his powers for another head coaching job. People don't just leave the University of Oklahoma when doing well, unless the Dallas Cowboys or Notre Dame come calling. Yet, Riley was willing to pack his bags for Los Angeles and start fresh. USC, which was 4-8 last season under Clay Helton and interim coach Donte Williams, went from being an afterthought to an instant factor in 2022. The Trojans didn't just upgrade their head coaching position; they once again became a destination program for recruits and top transfers. Riley has worked the transfer portal and used his Oklahoma pipeline to bring Caleb Williams and top recruits to L.A. The infusion of talent has been so dramatic that USC can realistically expect to contend for the Pac-12 championship in 2022. The question is whether the damage done by Clay Helton in recruiting and player development — specifically along the offensive and defensive lines — is going to get in the way of Riley's aspirations this year.
USC will be expected to dominate in 2023 and beyond, but in Year 1, the roster might be thin enough in the trenches that the Trojans won't be able to compensate for that deficit with their skill-position players. This team will be fascinating to watch for so many different reasons.
Here are the 2022 College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
2022 College Football Odds: USC Over/Under Win Total Odds
USC Trojans:
Over: 9.5 (+115)
Under: 9.5 (-135)
Why USC Will Win 10 Games
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USC is likely to lose to Utah in Salt Lake City in mid-October, and then to Notre Dame at the end of the year. Can the Trojans win their other 10 games? It's certainly possible. They're highly unlikely to lose to Fresno State or to their non-Utah Pac-12 opponents in the Los Angeles Coliseum. Washington State might be able to provide a modest challenge, but the Trojans simply have far better athletes than the Cougars, whom they blew out a year ago even when they weren't very good.
USC did lose to UCLA by 29 points last year, but the Trojans' roster overhaul and coaching upgrade should be able to turn around that particular rivalry game outcome. Stanford? The Trojans do face the Cardinal in Week 2, which might mean some early-season rust could get in the Trojans' path and gum up the works, but Stanford is a young team with a lot of unproven players. The Cardinal might also need time to get in gear, so USC should be able to win that game. As long as the losses are confined to Utah and Notre Dame, USC will win 10. Barring an upset, the Trojans should be able to get there.
Why USC Won't Win 10 Games
The landmine which could trip up USC and provide that third loss — in addition to Notre Dame and Utah — is Week 4 at Oregon State. Past USC teams which had national championship goals — think 2006 and 2008 under Pete Carroll — both lost in Corvallis to the Beavers. This year, the Week 4 placement of that game works against USC because its defense might not be developed enough and polished enough to perform at a sufficiently high level. Oregon State runs the ball well under coach Jonathan Smith. The Beavers have an offense designed to control the clock and keep the ball away from Caleb Williams. One can easily imagine a scenario in which Oregon State beats USC. If that happens, USC is more likely to go 9-3 than 10-2.
Final USC Win Total Prediction
It all comes down to that Oregon State game. It will be close in the fourth quarter. The view here is that USC wins by four points and survives, getting to 10-2 this season.
Final USC Win Total Prediction: Over 9.5 (+115)
