Utah State at USC Betting Pick & Prediction For 9/7/2024

The Utah State Aggies are set to take on the USC Trojans on September 7, 2024, with the Aggies entering the matchup as 28 point underdogs according to DraftKings Sportsbook, while the total is set at 63.5. USC opened their season with an impressive performance and will look to build on that in this game. Continue reading for our breakdown of Utah State vs USC from Los Angeles.

Utah State to Face First FBS Foe Of 2024 Season

Going into Saturday's Utah State vs USC matchup, the Utah State Aggies have a record of 1-0. They beat the Robert Morris Colonials of the FCS by a score of 36-14, running away with that game after a slow start at home. But the level of competition for the Aggies is set to take a huge leap this weekend when they go to face USC on the road in a game that nobody will expect the Aggies to win.

For Utah State, the question in this game will be whether or not they can find a way to generate some rushing yardage on early downs. Being forced into predictable passing situations on third and long is a problem for any offense and would be a problem for Utah State if they struggle to find running room against a USC defense that did a nice job against the run against LSU to kick off their season.

Can USC Build On Strong Start?

USC was an underdog going into their Week 1 matchup against the LSU Tigers. But the Trojans won outright as a four-point underdog in that neutral site game in Las Vegas. They got big plays when they needed them from quarterback Miller Moss, while the Trojans defense looked much improved from what it was a season ago. This week, USC is a heavy favorite and they will aim to add a second straight win to their ledger to start the 2024 college football season.

While USC was impressive on defense in their opener, the focus in this game should be sustaining that level on that side of the ball. Lincoln Riley coached teams are known for being inconsistent on defense, which means we could always see a letdown from them here against Utah State. But if USC can prove in this game that last week's performance against the Tigers was no fluke, the trajectory of their season could change in a big way.

Utah State vs USC Best Bet

Our best bet for Utah State vs USC is for the USC Trojans to cover the number as a heavy home favorite. The Trojans should look much better offensively this week than they did last week against a supremely athletic LSU team. And with Miller Moss looking as good as he did in Week 1, we have high hopes that the Trojans will hang a big number on the Aggies at home here.

For more on today's game check out the comprehensive statistics, betting odds, and trends below. Be sure to check out all our free NCAAFB picks here.