Despite being undefeated so far this season, the Arizona State Sun Devils come into their Week 5 Pac-12 matchup against the USC Trojans as the underdog. The odds could serve as a motivator for the Sun Devils, who will look to move to 5-0 in Los Angeles next weekend.
USC is 1-3 coming into this contest after a brutal start to the season which included three games against nationally-ranked programs. The team’s only win this season was against Utah State and they’ll be eager to capture another against a conference foe. The Pac-12 South could get cleared up a bit as Arizona State could push ahead of the most of the pack, but it could be a tall order.
Watch this regular season Week 5 matchup live on Saturday, October 1, 2016, at 5:30 p.m. ET a Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Arizona State +10
USC -10
Over/Under 64
Odds Analysis
Arizona State has not won its game very convincingly, which is the reason why the Sun Devils are significant underdogs. The gamblers are split on which side of the spread to take, as 51 percent are currently choosing USC to cover.
There is less ambiguity when it comes to the scoring total, as 80 percent like the “under” in this one.
Player to Watch
Arizona State running back Kalen Ballage has proven to be a dangerous threat for the Sun Devils so far this season. The junior has accumulated 277 yards on 43 carries in the first four games.
Ballage had a breakout game against Texas Tech in Week 2, scoring eight touchdowns, including seven on the ground, in the 68-55 win. He averaged 10.5 yards a carry in that game, finishing with 13 carries for 137 yards.
Currently, Ballage ranks first among Pac-12 players and third in the nation for points per game. If he gets loose against USC, he will be a big boost.
Key Stat
499. That’s the number of total yards the Sun Devils are giving up per game. While the team used some key turnovers to pick up a win over California last week, the defense must improve in this one.
USC is only averaging 22 points per contest but it has played two of the best defenses in the country in Alabama and Stanford. The Trojans will aim to get untracked behind their running game. Justin Davis leads the way with 46 carries for 261 yards and a touchdown.
Free ATS Pick
USC has certainly had a much tougher start to the season in 2016 than Arizona State. The Trojans opened the season by taking on the No. 1 team in the nation in Alabama and have also faced No. 7 Stanford and No. 24 Utah. In Week 3, the Trojans captured their only win of the year, defeating Utah State 45-7.
Arizona State’s 4-0 record is impressive, but the team quite frankly hasn’t faced the same caliber of competition that USC has so far. The Sun Devils’ most impressive win of the season so far was the Week 2 victory against Texas Tech.
The team also has wins over Northern Arizona, the University of Texas San Antonio and, most recently, California. This week against USC will be the Sun Devils biggest test of the year so far.
USC leads this matchup 19-12 all time and defeated Arizona State 42-14 in the latest showdown between these teams last year in Tempe. The Trojans certainly have some talent, but they are being given too much credit as they haven’t looked good in the losses.
Arizona State is a great moneyline option this week. While an upset certainly isn’t a given, the spread is completely too high. If the ball bounces the right way, the Sun Devils could move to 5-0 and get nationally ranked.
The confidence is there for the upset, and if it happens, it will pay off handsomely.
College Football Odds: Arizona State 34, USC 28
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