The Utah Utes (5-1, 2-1 Pac-12) and USC Trojans (6-1, 4-0) meet Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET (FOX). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Utah vs. USC odds, and make our expert college football picks and predictions.
The Utes have certainly missed QB Cam Rising (knee) on offense, and he remains out indefinitely while recovering from the brutal knee injury he suffered in the Rose Bowl against Penn State. He recently revealed that he tore his ACL, meniscus, medial patellofemoral ligament, as well as his MCL. As a result, it’s been QB Bryson Barnes and Nate Johnson holding down the fort under center.
Utah is still ranked high, and it has leaned upon its defense hard to get to this point. The Utes pounded Cal 34-14, bouncing back from a 21-7 loss at Oregon State the game before. While the offense has been held to 24 or fewer points 4 times, the defense has allowed 14 or fewer in 5 of 6 outings.
USC was humbled at Notre Dame last weekend, getting blasted 48-20. QB Caleb Williams might have fallen out of the Heisman frontrunner spot. More importantly, the team’s playoff chances might’ve taken a giant hit, although the loss to the Irish was not in conference. The team is very much alive and well for the Pac-12 Conference Championship Game, which could potentially be a marquee game against Washington.