The USC Trojans take on the Kansas State Wildcats. Check out our college football odds series for our USC Kansas State prediction and pick. Find how to watch USC Kansas State.

On the first day of the new college basketball season, this is the best matchup on the board. USC is nationally ranked, albeit just outside the top 20 (No. 22). Kansas State made the Elite Eight last season. Both teams fully expect to be in the NCAA Tournament. Not very many of the opening night games have a matchup that good. This is the featured attraction in Las Vegas.

USC has the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2023, Isaiah Collier. The point guard from Georgia is strong and powerful. USC head coach Andy Enfield wants to get him playing downhill and with a faster pace than USC teams normally play. USC has typically been a frontcourt-centric team under Enfield, who has recruited big-men lottery picks such as Onyeka Okongwu and Evan Mobley and now has Vince Iwuchukwu in the fold. However, Enfield now has a point guard who can enable USC to play much faster. Having Boogie Ellis back for one more college season gives the Trojans their best backcourt on paper in the Enfield era.

Kansas State made the Elite Eight last season. Coach Jerome Tang instantly transformed the Wildcats and restored KSU as a top-tier basketball program. Kansas State, which lost in the Elite Eight in 2018, had hoped to get over the Elite Eight hurdle in 2023, but Florida Atlantic denied the Wildcats an elusive trip to the Final Four. Kansas State has lost eight straight Elite Eight games over the past 50-plus years, which is both an indication of the program's quality (making that many Elite Eights) and its heartbreak. This season's Wildcats might not have Elite Eight potential, but they are expected to make the NCAA Tournament under Tang, who has shown that he is a very good head coach in Manhattan, Kansas.

Here are the USC-Kansas State College Basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

College Basketball Odds: USC-Kansas State Odds

USC Trojans: -3.5 (-106)

Kansas State Wildcats: +3.5 (-114)

Over: 145.5 (-115)

Under: 145.5 (-105)

How To Watch USC vs Kansas State

Time: 10:00 pm ET / 7:00 pm PT

TV: TNT

Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why USC Could Cover the Spread

The Trojans might cover the spread because Kansas State is missing a key player. Nae'Qwan Tomlin was a regular starting forward for the Wildcats last season. He gave them consistent secondary scoring, rebounding, and defense. He did a little bit of everything for this team. He was suspended several days ago after he was arrested for disorderly conduct. Kansas State might miss him dearly. USC has a strong backcourt, so the worry for the Trojans was that they might get eaten alive by Tomlin in the frontcourt. Now they don't have to worry about that matchup turning into a disaster for them. Isaiah Collier, Boogie Ellis, and Kobe Johnson give USC the guard play it will need to win this game and cover the spread.

Why Kansas State Could Cover the Spread

The Wildcats are shorthanded due to the Tomlin suspension, but USC is very shorthanded as well. The Trojans won't have Bronny James available for this game. LeBron's son is recuperating from an episode of cardiac arrest. No official timetable has been released on when he might be able to play this season, but an educated guess is that he might be available sometime in January, no earlier than that.

USC also has big man Vince Iwuchukwu out due to recurring back problems and a prolonged rehabilitation process. Not having Iwuchukwu leaves USC thin in the frontcourt. Kansas State can take advantage of that and cover the spread.

Final USC-Kansas State Prediction & Pick

This is a game to stay away from, since both teams are missing key players.

Final USC-Kansas State Prediction & Pick: Kansas State +3.5