People bet on football across the globe and BookMaker customers can be prepared for the action by reading every NCAA preview. Start cramming your cranium with pigskin knowledge and start cashing college football lines today! The USC Trojans and Penn State Nittany Lions square off in the Rose Bowl on Monday, January 2, 2017 at 5:00 p.m., ET. ESPN will televise the game live.
The 103rd Rose Bowl presented by Northwestern Mutual features a pair of the nation's hottest teams as No. 5 Penn State will take on No. 9 Southern California. Early money for the game is on Penn State. The Trojans opened up as an 8-point favorite and it quickly moved down to 6.5. Both teams were hot against the spread this season, Penn State covered nine of 13 games and USC was 8-4 ATS.
Penn State and USC took similar paths to this year's game, as both faced challenges in their first four games of 2016 but have not lost since. Penn State opened at 2-2, but has won its last nine games, including the Big Ten Championship game, while USC opened at 1-3 and has won its last eight games. Both teams own 2016 wins over a team playing in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Two similar teams that took similar paths playing in the Rose Bowl. It should be a good one.
No. 9 USC TROJANS 9-3 vs No. 5 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS 11-2
January 2, 2017
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California - 5:00 p.m., ET - ESPN
No. 9 USC -6.5
After a slow start to the season that left the Trojans 1-3, a switch was made at quarterback and USC hasn’t lost since. The offense became far more consistent after Sam Darnold took over for Max Browne and the defense improved as the year went on and is the reason why no one wants to play the men from Troy right now. They are tough!
Redshirt freshman Darnold was chosen as the 2016 Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year. Darnold enters the game completing 213-of-313 pass attempts for 2,633 yards and 26 touchdowns. His .681 completion percentage leads the Pac-12 and ranks sixth in FBS.
No. 5 PENN STATE +6.5
The Nittany Lions enter the Rose Bowl riding a nine-game winning streak, which featured wins over No. 3 Ohio State and No. 5 Wisconsin. It appeared that the Nittany Lions were just an average team after two early losses to Pittsburgh and Michigan that left them at 2-2, but haven't lost since and now are one of the hottest teams in the country.
Led by quarterback Trace McSorley, the Nittany Lions are no longer that ground and pound type team that they were for years. The Lions rank 25th in the nation in scoring offense and love going vertical, which is a big part of their offense. The question is whether or not they will be able to go deep against a fast Trojan secondary.
A big part of Penn State’s success this year is the play of running-back Saquon Barkley. The sophomore rushed for 1302 yards and scored a total of 19 touchdowns on the year. This could be his last college game, he’s that good and he is fired up to play in Pasadena. “The Rose Bowl, you’ve been watching that since you’re a little kid," Barkley said. "Being able to play in the Rose Bowl is spectacular. One of our goals was to win a Big Ten championship and play for the national championship, and we came up short of that. But playing in the Rose Bowl is not a bad second option, to be honest.
Opening Line: USC -8, Total 60
Current Line at BookMaker Sportsbook: USC -6.5
Penn State is ranked higher, but USC is favored by almost a touchdown and that’s the reason odds-makers should have all the say when it comes to rankings. Both teams are so much alike, but one area where they are completely different is when betting on totals. Penn State was an over team, cashing 10 times, while USC was an under machine, cashing nine times.
This will be the tenth meeting between theses two power-house programs, USC leads 5-4.
Penn State is making its 47th bowl appearance all-time, tied for No. 9 nationally with Ohio State. USC will be making its 51st bowl appearance, which ranks sixth nationally.
Penn State is 24-13 all-time against the current alignment of the Pac-12 and 5-3 in bowl games.
USC has appeared in a record 32 Rose Bowls and has won a record 24, which is not only a Rose Bowl record but the most wins by a school in a single bowl.The Trojans have won 11 of its last 13 Rose Bowls, including its last three. Ironically, the 2009 victory was over Penn State.
THE PLAY
I do think USC will win a hard fought game that will be lower scoring than you think. USC’s secondary will negate Penn State’s explosive plays that they have been depending on all season, especially against Wisconsin in the Big 10 Championship game. That won’t happen in this game, USC has too much speed. USC wins, 28-24.
The College Football betting odds and props for this week’s games were first available at BookMaker Sportsbook. Live wagering during commercials offers adjusted moneylines, totals and spreads. Log in and start gambling during the game now! The USC Trojans and Penn State Nittany Lions square off in the Rose Bowl on Monday, January 2, 2017 at 5:00 p.m., ET. ESPN will televise the game live.
