USC heads into its Week 2 meeting with Louisiana as a massive favorite, and the numbers across the betting market say the same thing in a loud voice.
The No. 14 Trojans will wrap up their three-game home stretch against the Ragin’ Cajuns on Sept. 12, with Big Ten Network carrying the 8 p.m.
(PST) matchup. Louisiana won’t even have opened its season yet when it gets to Los Angeles, with the Cajuns scheduled to play Lamar University on Sept. 5 first.
That result could nudge the market a bit, but for now USC is sitting comfortably on top of nearly every projection.
ESPN Analytics gives the Trojans a 97.4 percent chance to win. ESPN Bet has USC laying 28.5 points.
DraftKings lists the Trojans’ moneyline at -8000, while Fanatics Markets gives Southern Cal a 96 percent chance to win. On Kalshi, 92 percent of traders are backing USC on the moneyline.
The total is currently 63.5 points, and DraftKings also has Southern Cal favored by 28.5 with the under priced at -108.
USC’s early-season form is backing up the market. The Trojans opened with 42 points against San José State in Week 0, though they allowed 26 in the second half.
In Week 1, they scored 39 and pitched a shutout, showing more of what the defense can be when it’s locked in. Through two games, USC is averaging 40.5 points per game.
Lincoln Riley’s offense has not been fully unleashed at every turn, but it opened up more on Friday night when he finally let Jayden Maiava rip it. The emergence of Trent Mosley, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt finding his footing, and Tanook Hines returning all point toward an attack that could keep rolling. The only catch is that the starters have been coming out early, often by the start or middle of the third quarter.
That has left the backup offense with limited chances, and the second halves of the last two games have produced just 14 points total from that group, not counting late drives by the starters or the defensive safety against Fresno State.
The defense has flashed, too. Gary Patterson’s unit has forced two turnovers - an interception and a fumble - and added four points through two safeties. The front has also been more disruptive, logging seven tackles for loss, five sacks and three quarterback hits in Week 1.
Still, the depth chart hasn’t always held up once the reserves enter. Fresno State put together a 60-yard drive that nearly spoiled the shutout, and USC also gave up 24 points in Week 0. That kind of uneven late-game production is the sort of thing that can complicate bets even when the favorite is overwhelming.
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In Other News...
USC Has A Freshman Turning Heads As Young Defenders Step Up
Trent Mosley wasted no time making his presence felt, and for USC that has been one of the brighter early developments of the season. The freshman receiver opened his college career with seven catches for 118 yards and a touchdown against San Jose State, then followed it up with another strong outing the next game, adding multiple touchdowns and drawing notice from teammates and coaches alike.
Mosleys emergence has helped soften some of the attention on a defense that has also been getting useful early contributions from young players. Nickel Kennedy Urlacher, Alex Graham and Jide Abasiri have each shown up in recent games, giving USC signs that some of its younger defenders are beginning to settle in and play meaningful snaps when the Trojans need them most. [Read more 🡒]
USC's Rout Put New Draft Attention On More Than One Trojan
USCs blowout of Fresno State at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum drew more than attention from the scoreboard. NFL scouts from five franchises were in the building, turning a September game into another reminder that the Trojans are still a weekly stop on the pro personnel circuit. With former USC names already scattered across the league, the presence of those evaluators added a little extra weight to a rout that otherwise could have been just another easy win.
The most visible reasons were on the field. Quarterback Jayden Maiava continued to give scouts a look at how he handles an offense under little pressure, while defensive players Jide Abasiri and Kennedy Urlacher also stood out in the kind of game where evaluators are often looking for who keeps competing after the outcome is settled. For USC, the broader takeaway is familiar: when the Trojans play well, the NFL tends to show up, and not just for the obvious headliners. [Read more 🡒]
USC Freshman Is Giving Lincoln Riley A New Receiver Problem
USCs 2-0 start has already included a welcome bonus for Lincoln Riley: a freshman receiver who looks ready for more than a depth-chart cameo. Trent Mosley has been one of the early bright spots for the Trojans, making his presence felt right away with key catches, yardage, and touchdowns that have helped him stand out in the opening weeks of the season.
For Riley, that kind of emergence creates the sort of good problem coaches like to have and opponents hate to solve. Mosleys production has quickly raised expectations for what he can mean in the offense moving forward, and it also adds another layer to a USC passing game that already had enough weapons to keep defenses busy. [Read more 🡒]