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BC Eagles vs. USC Trojans Gambling Prediction & Week 3 Preview

Boston College Eagles vs. USC Trojans NCAA Football Odds

Things aren’t looking good for the USC Trojans. Despite opening the season without star quarterback Matt Barkley and star receiver Robert Woods, there were high hopes for the team following a disappointing 2012 campaign.

Boston College (2-0) @ USC Trojans (1-1)
Saturday, Sept. 14, 3:00 PM ET @ Los Angeles Coliseum
Moneyline: Boston College +400, USC Trojans -500
Spread: USC -14
O/U: 43
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There’s still time to turn things around, but a 10-7 loss to the Washington State Cougars in Week 2 hardly bodes well for a rebuilding unit. Now the Boston College Eagles will look to kick the Trojans while their down.

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The Eagles are 2-0 on the year, and they’ll look to keep momentum going despite USC having home-field advantage.

Boston College

Boston College has started its season with back-to-back wins, which is impressive considering it had two wins all of 2012. Unfortunately for them, both were against relatively weak opponents, which may give them a false sense of entitlement entering Los Angeles Coliseum.

Approaching their first road game of the season, the Eagles will look to utilize tailback Andre Williams. The senior has played well thus far, as evidenced by his 204 yards against Wake Forest.

USC’s run defense has only allowed 15 yards per contest on the ground, and while that’s largely due to playing against Mike Leach’s air-raid offense in Week 2, it’s still an imposing number to stare at for an FBS program.

For B.C. to establish a flow against USC’s massive defensive line, it must come out strong from the get-go. The USC crowd may be ready to rally, but its also on edge after an unfortunate loss.

The Eagles must set the tempo out of the gate, and not just offensively. The Trojans are running two inexperienced quarterbacks behind center, and putting as much pressure on them as possible could be a difference maker.

Another big day from Williams will test USC out of the gate, but getting to the QB could be what puts them over the edge. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

USC

Following the devastating loss to Washington State in Week 2, receiver Marquis Lee—arguably the most talented wideout in the country—stated that the team would participate in a player’s only meeting to get back on track.

If you’re a fan of the Trojans, the hope is that the team was able to rally around its star, seeing as head coach Lane Kiffin is unquestionably sitting on the hot seat.

Cody Kessler has been named the starting quarterback, and while having one man behind center is good for continuity’s sake, neither he nor Max Wittek have done enough to prove their worthy of the job. At this point, Kessler doesn’t possess the arm strength to take advantage of Lee’s downfield ability.

Utilizing Silas Redd will be crucial in this contest, especially since Boston College has proven to be a better pass defense this year; albeit not by much.

From a talent perspective, USC has the edge against the Eagles. However, it’s going to come down to two things that don’t always go together: protecting the ball, and being creative offensively. Kessler can’t afford to throw the ball away the way he did against the Cougars.

Taking advantage of the wildcat will be a good way to get Redd and Lee involved, and taking a chance or two downfield will help keep B.C.’s defense honest.

If the Trojans can play a clean game, they won’t have to play like an elite squad. Getting the stars involved should do the trick, and it’s up to Kiffin to make the right adjustments. Boston College is proving to be better than it was in 2012, but it’s yet to prove it can play against a team as talented as USC.

O/U Pick: Under
Score Prediction: USC 30 – Boston College 13

By Cappers Picks

Articles on CappersPicks.com are written by Q (the Head Honcho) at Cappers Picks or by our resident "in house" handicapper Razor Ray Monohan! Enjoy the free picks folks! "Pad that bankroll one day at a time!"