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Wisconsin will face USC this weekend at the Coliseum. We're in Southern California, sharing our college football odds series and making a Wisconsin-USC prediction and pick.
Wisconsin lost 42-10 at home to Alabama last weekend. Unfortunately, they trailed 17-3 at halftime and could not catch up. Braedyn Locke went 13 for 26 with 125 yards passing. Also, Chez Mellusi rushed 11 times for 66 yards. Will Pauling had nine receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown.
The Badgers garnered 17 first downs. However, they also went 3 for 14 on third-down conversions and managed just 290 total yards. Wisconsin also turned the ball over twice while allowing two sacks. Likewise, they could not force a single turnover but did gather two sacks.
USC lost a heartbreaker to Michigan State 27-24. Ultimately, they led 24-20 with 37 seconds left in the game. But Kalel Mullings ran the ball into the endzone to seal the game. Overall, Miller Moss went 28 for 51 with 283 yards passing, three touchdowns, and one interception. Woody Marks rushed 13 times for 100 yards and caught five passes for 40 yards. Zachariah Branch had six catches for 98 yards. Ja'Kobe Lane had four catches for 50 yards and a touchdown. Additionally, Jay Fair had four catches for 50 yards and a touchdown.
The Trojans had 17 first downs and went 7 for 19 on third-down conversions while also garnering 379 total yards. Yet, they also turned the ball over twice and allowed four sacks. The defense forced two turnovers and generated two sacks
USC leads the head-to-head series 6-1. However, the teams have not faced one another since December 30, 2015, when the Badgers edged out the Trojans 23-21 in the Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium.
Here are the College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Wisconsin-USC Odds
Wisconsin: +14.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +470
USC: -14.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -670
Over: 50.5 (-110)
Under: 50.5 (-110)
How to Watch Wisconsin vs. USC
Time: 3:30 PM ET/12:30 PM PT
TV: CBS
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
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Why Wisconsin Could Cover The Spread/Win
Tyler Can Dyke is out for the season. Therefore, the Badgers must march on without him and attempt to create some offense without their top quarterback.
Locke will do what he can. Consequently, he could not do anything when forced into action last weekend and must figure things out quickly. The Badgers may run the ball more. Significantly, Mellusi has rushed 46 times for 200 yards and three touchdowns. Pauling is the top receiver in this group, catching 19 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown. Likewise, Byrson Green has eight receptions for 89 yards.
The defense might need to do much more to have a shot at beating the Trojans. Significantly, Elijah Hills leads the way with three solo tackles and two sacks. Christian Alliegro has added six solo tackles and two sacks. Meanwhile, Darryl Peterson has added seven solo tackles and one sack. Jake Chaney has been solid, with 11 solo tackles. Surprisingly, the Badgers only have one interception, with Xavier Lucas getting the only pick.
Wisconsin will cover the spread if Mellusi can run the ball effectively to take some pressure off Locke. Then, the defense must stop an offense that can score in droves.
Why USC Could Cover The Spread/Win
There were many Trojans to blame for the loss last weekend. Unfortunately, they wasted a great opportunity to steal a game on the road. USC will need more from the offense to find a way to put this thing away.
Moss has been efficient. So far, he has passed for 890 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception. Marks has been a machine. Amazingly, he has already rushed 42 times for 271 yards and three touchdowns. Branch has been the best receiver, with 14 receptions for 134 yards. However, he still has not scored a touchdown yet.
The defense has had some great playmakers throughout the first three games. Substantially, Eric Gentry has led the way with 15 solo tackles and two sacks. Kamari Ramsey has delivered, with 12 solo tackles and one sack. Likewise, Easton Mascarenas-Arnold has been solid, with nine solo tackles and an interception.
USC will cover the spread if Moss hits his spots and Marks runs the ball efficiently to chew up the clock. Then, the defense must pressure Locke into making mistakes to flip the field position.
Final Wisconsin-USC Prediction & Pick
Wisconsin is 0-3 against the spread, while USC is 2-1. Furthermore, Wisconsin is playing its first road game of the season, while USC is 1-0 against the spread at home. The spread is large for a reason. Moreover, the oddsmakers have noticed how Wisconsin has struggled to cover the spread, even with a healthy quarterback. Expect the Trojans to come out with a vengeance as they bounce back from their meltdown and cover the spread at home. USC wins and covers the spread.
Final Wisconsin-USC Prediction & Pick: USC -14.5 (-110)
