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A week ago, the PAC-12 was filled with optimism. For the first time in the previous six years, the league featured several teams with paths to the College Football Playoff. Multiple teams were still capable of earning the Pac-12’s first national championship since 2004.
Now, USC is the only chance for the conference. It is exactly what the Trojans envisioned 51 weeks ago, when they were 4-7 and reportedly offered Lincoln Riley a $110 million contract to leave Oklahoma.
USC has not been in contention for a national title since Pete Carroll skipped the sidelines, losing with renowned offensive geniuses Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian. However, Riley, age 39, gave the former power immediate credence. After leading the Sooners to three playoff berths and four Big 12 championships in five years as head coach, he enticed double-digit transfers, including star quarterback Caleb Williams, and four coaches to travel across the nation in an unorthodox attempt at immediate contention.
Unlike most college football situations, everything has gone according to plan. With Williams challenging for the Heisman Trophy, the Trojans have the third-highest scoring offense in the nation (42,4 points) and their best record at this time of the season in 14 years.
It is the sort of success UCLA envisioned when it brought Chip Kelly back to college, the kind of momentum that took five years to build, then was snuffed out last week by a 20-point home defeat to Arizona, removing the Bruins from playoff contention.
The rivals will face off at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, marking their most-anticipated showdown in 17 years. UCLA bungled their opportunity for a historic season, but USC (-1.5) will keep Pac-12 CFP chances alive for at least another week. A shootout between the top-10 offenses is inevitable, and Riley has dominated such contests for the majority of the previous six seasons.
BetMGM provides all odds, which were accurate at the time of publication.
Lincoln Riley, head coach of USC, Getty Images
Horned Frogs shares have never been higher. The price of bears’ shares is cents on the dollar. The moment is ripe for buying low and selling high. Last week’s excellent victory over Texas did not erase TCU’s inability to secure victories over the prior five weeks. The reigning Big 12 champion Bears have plenty of fight left for this rivalry match.
MICHIGAN (-17.5) over Illinois
Illinois’s season, which began with seven victories in the first eight games, will be redefined before halftime as a result of a third consecutive defeat. The third-ranked Illini defense has allowed a total of 54 points over the last two weeks and will be challenged again in its season opener against a top 60 offense: Michigan’s 41.4 points per game rank fifth nationally.
Boston College is favored by 21 points over Notre Dame.
The Fighting Irish have failed to cover in each of their five games as double-digit favorites this season, and the Eagles’ defense is adequate enough to minimize the damage against an inconsistent Notre Dame offense that was kept scoreless for a half against Navy last week.
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Georgia (-22.5) over KENTUCKY
The Bulldogs have won 12 consecutive games in the series, although since 2017, they have not won by more than 22 points. This type of game is long overdue. Will Levis’ draft status will continue to decline as a result of Georgia’s outstanding defense. The quarterback of Kentucky has not passed for more than 170 yards in any of the last three games, most recently finishing 11-for-23 for 109 yards and an interception in a humiliating home defeat to Vanderbilt last week.
Ohio State over Maryland (-27.5)
The Ohio State Buckeyes are back on track following last week’s 56-14 victory against Indiana. There will be a repetition at College Park. The Terrapins have lost 11 consecutive games against ranked opponents, covering the spread only once, and failing quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa has thrown 14 interceptions in seven attempts to pull off shocks.
C.J. Stroud of the Ohio State Buckeyes.
The Hurricanes may fare better without quarterback Tyler Van Dyke for another game due to a shoulder issue. Freshman Jacurri Brown might cause further problems in his second career start after tossing three touchdown passes and rushing for 87 yards in a 21-point victory against Georgia Tech last week.
RUTGERS (+19.5) over Penn State
Rutgers always maintains its end, so the under (45) is the best wager. In their eight Big Ten games against the Nittany Lions (all of which went under), the Scarlet Knights have averaged fewer than five points per game and have never scored more than ten.
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This season, the Tar Heels have won their six away games by an average of less than four points per contest. The average margin of victory for the Tar Heels at Chapel Hill has been 27 points per game. And freshman Drake Maye simply keeps getting better. The quarterback has averaged 377 passing yards and 69 running yards over the previous four games, with 15 total touchdowns and no interceptions.
Tennessee (-21.5) over SOUTH CAROLINA
The second-highest scoring offense in the nation can now only make its postseason case with blowout victories, such as last week’s 66-24 victory against Missouri. Some stat padding won’t harm Hendon Hooker’s Heisman chances either.
ARKANSAS (+2.5) over Mississippi
Arkansas nearly defeated LSU without quarterback KJ Jefferson. His comeback will revitalize the offense against the overrated Rebels, who have a single victory over a Power Five club with a winning record.
Oklahoma State (+7.5) over OKLAHOMA
The Sooners are 2-5 in Big 12 play and have fallen to every conference club with a winning record. With the return of quarterback Spencer Sanders from injury, the Cowboys will win Bedlam in consecutive seasons for the first time in twenty years.
UAB (+14.5) over LSU
This season, the Blazers are 0-4 on the road. They have suffered defeat at the hands of Liberty, Rice, Western Kentucky, and Florida Atlantic. They have failed to cover every competition. I anticipate that Brian Kelly will let his walk-ons to play the majority of snaps.
LSU’s Jayden Daniels as captured by Getty Images
In a de facto Pac-12 semifinal game, home field advantage will be decisive. The Utes have lost on the road twice this season, at Florida and UCLA, and this trip marks their most difficult test of the year. After four years without a home defeat, it seems unlikely that the Ducks will lose consecutive games in Eugene.
Boston College, North Carolina, and Tennessee are the best bets.
