USC vs Oregon State NCAA Football Odds
The Oregon State Beavers are facing a short week between two tough games. Last week, they played the Stanford Cardinal down to the wire, while this week, they must prepare for an underachieving, yet always talented USC roster. The Trojans are coming off of a 19-3 win over the Utah Utes.
USC Trojans (5-3, 2-2 Pac-12) vs. Oregon State (6-2, 4-1 Pac-12)
Friday, Nov. 1 9:00 PM ET @ Reser Stadium
Moneyline: N/A
Spread: Oregon State -4.5
O/U: 52
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USC
USC entered last week’s contest against Utah as an underdog in the eyes of many. The team from Southern California has disappointed since the start of the year, and people thought that a matchup against a god-sized Utes roster would be the straw that broke the Troajns’ back.
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Fortunately for USC, it took the matchup seriously under interim head coach Ed Orgeron, and it came away with an impressive 19-3 victory.
This week, the Trojans have a team ahead of them in the Beavers with a much more dangerous offensive attack. Utah is 54th in the nation in points per game and 59th in passing yards, while Oregon State is 15th in points scored and first in passing.
The plan of attack for USC must be to disrupt Sean Mannion while locking down Brandin Cooks. The quarterback-wide receiver combo has done some serious damage this season, and it’s allowed OSU to score better than 40 points per contest. USC is currently allowing just 19.3 points per game, but it hasn’t faced an offensive attack like this since Washington State in Week 2.
If the Trojans can force Oregon State to run the ball, it will be in great shape. The Beavers collect just 66.6 yards per game on the ground, which is only good enough for 122nd entering Week 10. Take away Mannion and/or Cooks from the attack, and you have a Beavers team scrambling to make plays—and more importantly, scrambling to score points. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Oregon State
The Beavers may have lost last weekend’s game to the Stanford Cardinal, but they can find solace in two simple facts. First and foremost, they won six straight leading up to that contest. Also, Stanford is a top-notch program (the Beavers’ toughest challenge thus far) and OSU took them down to the final play of the game.
Against USC, the Beavers must be ready for another physical battle. Like Stanford, the Trojans have a top-20 defense when it comes to points allowed. USC is giving up just 19.3 points on the year because of its size and strength up front—not to mention its athletes in its secondary.
For the Beavers, there’s no need to get fancy. This isn’t the time to establish a proficient running game; it’s the time to utilize its strengths. This team is known for passing the ball, and that’s what it should do on Friday.
The one difference Oregon State must be ready for is a defense that will be heavily locked on to Brandin Cooks. Sean Mannion must be ready to spread the wealth when it comes to his receivers. If he can do that, this team will be able to exploit a defense that may not be ready for multiple weapons in the receiving game.
Defensively, this team needs to stop the run. The Trojans’ passing game has been inconsistent, and while the running game has been far from elite, it is the one aspect on offense that ranks in the top 65 in the country.
When it comes down to it, home-field advantage will play a big role in this one. USC has played just two road games since its season-opening win against Hawaii, and it has lost both matchups. This game won’t be easy for Oregon State, but if all goes according to plan, it can be on the right side of a one-touchdown victory.
Prediction: Oregon State 27 – USC 20
