With the departure of their starting quarterback, leading rusher and top receiver from last season, the USC Trojans were expected to have some trouble moving and scoring the football. The issues appear to be much deeper than anticipated. The men of Troy managed just 17 points in their last two games, dropping both and falling out of the national rankings. In previous seasons the Trojans would score 17 points in a quarter, however the running game abandoned them in a loss to Texas and the unbeaten Washington State Cougars await in Week 4.
This contest in Week 4 will go down Friday, September 21, 2018, at 10:30 p.m. ET at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Washington State Cougars +4.5
USC Trojans -4.5
Over/Under (Check Back Later)
Odds Analysis
The early season struggles haven’t swayed USC backers, who wagered the line up a full point with plenty of early money on the home team. The Trojans are 0-3 ATS, but the line spiked to -4.5 soon after hitting the board. Washington State is 3-0 ATS but has yet to play a Power Five team. A total for this Pac-12 matchup has yet to surface.
Matchup to Watch
Looking back at the history of the Trojans program, the one thing they always managed to do well was run the football. With guys like Charles White, Ricky Bell, O.J. Simpson and Marcus Allen, student-body right was a staple of the offense. Even last season Ronald Jones rushed for 1,550 yards averaging nearly six yards per carry. It’s been a problem this season and the Trojans managed only 21 non-sack yards in their loss to Texas. Factor in those negative yards and USC had a net of minus-5 yards rushing.
Overall, USC is averaging a little over 109 yards rushing per game this season to rank No. 117 in the FBS, and they need to be more productive to take the pressure off J.T. Daniels. The Cougars have been stingy defensively this season against three inferior opponents. WSU limited Wyoming to 19 points in the opener and blanked San Jose State in Week 2 allowing 109 total yards and only nine on the ground. This will be WSU’s stiffest test of the young season and a chance to show that the fourth-ranked defense is for real.
Last Meeting
A loss to Washington State last season likely cost the Trojans a chance at a College Football Playoff berth. Going into Pullman on a Friday night as a 5-point favorite, USC was subdued by Wazzou’s passing attack and a defensive effort that kept Sam Darnold guessing. Coupled with their loss to Notre Dame a few weeks after losing to the Cougars, the Trojans were left out of the CFP equation despite winning their first Pac-12 title.
Washington State limited Darnold to just 164 passing yards and the Trojans totaled 327 in the game. The Cougars intercepted one of Darnold’s offerings and sacked him three times, including a strip-sack on USC’s final possession that denied the Trojans an opportunity to tie or win the game.
Key Stat
6 – The Cougars withstood an onslaught from the top offensive team in the FCS last week by intercepting three passes to thwart Eastern Washington drives. WSU now has five picks on the season, a number good enough to tie them for 12th in the FBS.
The ball-hawking secondary has received picks from five different players with cornerbacks Marcus Strong and Darrien Molton, along with safeties Deion Singleton and Jalen Thompson chipping in. Linebacker Jahad Woods also got in on the fun. The Cougs turned three interceptions against EWU into 17 points to pull away for the 59-24 win last week.
Free ATS Pick
Let’s have a look at the competition before we give this one to WSU. The Trojans stumbled against Texas and Stanford the last two weeks, falling on the road to a pair of decent teams. Meanwhile, the Cougars have yet to play a Power Five team and are coming off a win over a FCS opponent with the last two coming at home.
The only Pac-12 team worse running the football than USC is Washington State, but that’s more by design. The Cougs flaunt their Air Raid attack and they have a good one in Gardner Minshew directing the show. However, this is a different matchup for the Cougs. I expect the Trojans will clean up the mess that cost them in Austin and with more success running the football they will keep WSU off the field. And that’s a key for the Trojans to pick up a victory.
College Football Odds: USC 31, Washington State 24
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