USC vs Louisville odds: Holiday Bowl point spread released

It’s bowl season, which means an exciting slate of non-conference college football matchups throughout December and January. And one of the most intriguing games will take place on the West Coast on December 27, as USC will take on No. 15 Louisville in the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl.

According to FanDuel, the Cardinals open up as 6.5-point favorites against the Trojans, with the point total over-under sitting at 57.5 points. Both teams have proven on various occasions they can put some points on the board this season, but what other factors will play a role in this year’s edition of the Holiday Bowl?

How to watch USC vs Louisville

Time: December 27 — 8 p.m. ET
Channel: FOX, FuboTV
Location: San Diego, CA

One of the biggest deciding factors of this year’s Holiday Bowl is the status of USC quarterback Caleb Williams, the former Heisman Trophy winner and projected No. 1 overall pick for the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft.

Williams has had two stellar back-to-back seasons in Los Angeles with 4,919 total yards and 53 total touchdowns in 2022 followed by 3,769 total yards and 42 total scores this most recent season. He’s been the engine of USC’s offense that past two seasons, overcoming the team’s issues on the offensive line and on the defense, and has not yet announced his decision to play in or forgo the Trojan’s bowl game ahead of the postseason.

Overall, it’s been a tale of two halves for USC this year, starting off the season 6-0 and finishing it off 1-5. Their defensive struggles continued to mount throughout the season, giving up 34.9 points per game which ranked 11th worst in the FBS this season, ultimately leading to the firing of defensive coordinator Alex Grinch after their Week 10 loss to Washington.

USC’s offense has impressed this season as the nation’s fourth-best scoring unit in the country, but they’ll have to stand toe to toe with a stout Cardinals defense that held opponents to under 20 points per game this season. And they may have to do so without the help of Williams and with the ACC’s sack leader Ashton Gillotte chasing down whoever is under center for the Trojans.

Louisville is fresh off of falling to Florida State in the ACC Championship game, but the Cardinals still had an impressive 10-win season in their first year under head coach Jeff Brohm.

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Their defense has been stout, but their offense has stood out as well, and could go score for score with the Trojans at Petco Park later this month. Cardinals quarterback Jack Plummer was the ACC’s second-leading passer this season, their running back Jawhar Jordan was the conference’s second-leading rusher, and wideout Jamari Thrash ended the year as the ACC’s third-leading receiver. Setting the table for what should be an exciting matchup filled with explosive playmakers in the 44th Holiday Bowl.