COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Ohio State enters with a 6-1 record and elite efficiency on both sides of the ball, led by 39.3 points per game, 476.3 total yards per game, and a defense allowing only 13.4 points per game and 264.3 yards allowed per game. USC is 6-2 and has posted strong offensive numbers at 32.8 points per game and 434.8 total yards per game, but the Trojans have also allowed 25.0 points and 331.3 yards per game, which has left them vulnerable when opponents sustain drives and win through the air.
Ohio State should be able to win on the road, but USC has enough offense to keep the game competitive and push the scoring higher than the market expects. A projected 31-24 Buckeyes result fits a game where Ohio State's efficiency and USC's pass production both show up, creating a total that lands in the mid-50s and supports an Over position.