The No. 6 USC Trojans will attempt to begin a path to their first College Football Playoff appearance as big favorites against the San Jose State Spartans as we look at our San Jose State vs. USC picks based on the best college football odds.
San Jose State finished 7-5 last year (5-3 Mountain West), its second winning season since 2012. The Spartans also went to a bowl game for the second time in head coach Brent Brennan's six seasons, but they lost to Eastern Michigan 41-27 in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Head coach Lincoln Riley instantly turned the USC program around in his first season, leading the Trojans to their first double-digit win total (11-3, 8-1 Pac-12) since 2017. The Trojans look for two straight 10-win seasons for the second time since 2008. USC was likely headed to the College Football Playoff last season if it beat Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game, but instead, a crushing 47-24 loss to the Utes sent the Trojans to the Cotton Bowl, which they lost as small favorites 46-45 to Tulane.
Here is our best San Jose State vs. USC prediction and college football picks (odds via our best college football betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
San Jose State vs. USC prediction: Week 0
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USC quarterback Caleb Williams is attempting to become the second back-to-back Heisman Trophy winner. He led FBS with 42 passing touchdowns and 52 total touchdowns while ranking third in the country with 4,537 passing yards in 2022. Those numbers and his 4,919 yards of total offense (third in FBS) were all school records.
Williams' 87.6 QBR last season was a big product of taking care of the football, as he was intercepted just five times. He should have no issues carving up a Spartans defense that must replace Cade Hall, Viliami Fehoko, and Kyle Harmon, three all-conference talents, with the first two winning MWC Defensive Player of the Year honors in two of the previous three seasons.
USC's offensive firepower was never in doubt, considering its blazing average of 41.4 points per game last season, a feat that secured the Trojans the third spot nationwide. What's more, they commanded the top rank in terms of expected points added per play, underscoring their offensive prowess. Amidst these factors, our strong endorsement of the Over gets elevated to a four-star status.
A crucial cornerstone of this conviction lies in the formidable figure of San Jose State's quarterback, Chevan Cordeiro. His prominence is emphasized by his inclusion in the Walter Camp Watch List, a testament to his standing as perhaps the most exceptional quarterback within the conference. The depth of Cordeiro's skillset is underlined by his career rushing tally, surpassing the 1,300-yard mark. Building on his impressive 61% completion rate and an impressive 23-6 TD-INT ratio from the previous season, Cordeiro is primed to make waves.
Anticipate Cordeiro's calculated assaults to gain traction against the USC defense, a unit that found itself languishing at the ninth-worst spot in terms of expected points added per play last year. This defensive outfit will require a significant infusion of cohesion, as numerous fresh faces are slated to assume key roles. USC's offseason moves saw the acquisition of nine defensive players from the transfer portal, many of whom are poised to step into starting roles. Notably, safety Calen Bullock stands as the sole returnee who's ranked within the top 10 in his position, as per PFF. This reshuffling creates an intriguing dynamic, one that Cordeiro and his offensive unit will surely seek to exploit.
Take the Over 66 at DraftKings with your college football best bets for Week 0.
San Jose State vs. USC best odds
| DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM | Caesars | bet365 |
| 66 | 66.5 | 66.5 | 66.5 | 66.5 |
| Over -112 | Over -105 | Over -110 | Over -110 | Over -110 |
With DraftKings offering a total of a half-point less than our other four best sports betting apps, it is an easy choice for our go-to shop for this wager, especially since it does not break the bank with a price of -112 to back the Over. The -105 juice may entice some bettors on the Over at FanDuel as it weighs the options between needing a combined score of 67-plus points to cash the Over instead of 66 or paying 5 cents less in juice.
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San Jose State vs. USC odds
San Jose State vs. USC odds analysis
DraftKings, at one point, was in unison with the other shops with an O/U of 66.5, but bettors drove the line down to 66 from Tuesday to Wednesday. There has been no movement at any of our best sports betting sites off the point spread of USC -30.5, despite 65% of the wagers backing the favorites. The total is similarly split 64/36 in favor of the Over.
USC is by far the biggest favorite of any team in Week 0, with moneyline odds ranging from -9000 at DraftKings to -10000 at BetMGM and FanDuel.
San Jose State vs. USC game info
- When: Saturday, Aug. 26, 8 p.m. ET
- Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
- How to watch: PAC12
- Weather: 84 degrees, 5% chance of precipitation, wind 6 mph SSW
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