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What's the early Penn State-USC point spread? FanDuel releases look-ahead line for potential top 10 clash

Greg Pickelby:Greg Pickel•10/04/24•

GregPickel

USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley talks to players at the conclusion of the Spring Game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley talks to players at the conclusion of the Spring Game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. (Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports)

No. 7 Penn State and No. 11 USC each must take care of business to set up a potential top-10 clash next Saturday at the LA Memorial Coliseum. However, the fact that the game is still eight days away is not stopping sportsbook operator FanDuel from giving fans an early indication of what the point spread and over/under betting total might be. The Nittany Lions are listed as a 3.5-point favorite on the look-ahead line. Assuming there are no major injuries and both are victorious when PSU battles UCLA (Noon ET, FOX) this Saturady at home while the Trojans travel to Minnesota (7:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network), the number is likely to stay there. The over/under is listed at 53.5.

Back in May, Penn State was listed as a 6.5-point favorite on many sportsbooks’ Games of the Year lines. The number is lower now because head coach Lincoln Riley’s team is better than expected on defense, a unit run by Nittany Lion alum D’Anton Lynn, of course, and doing well enough on offense despite losing last year’s No. 1 overall pick, 2022 Heisman Trophy winner, and quarterback Caleb Williams to the NFL Draft. With Miller Moss now under center, USC leads the Big Ten in passing yards per game with 316.

Penn State-USC series history

USC holds a 6-4 all-time series lead over the Nittany Lions. The sides last met in the Rose Bowl that ended the 2016 season. An instant classic, the Trojans won 52-49 despite Saquon Barkley and Chris Godwin both finding the end zone twice. Before that contest, the teams had last met in the Rose Bowl to end the 2008 season. USC won that game 38-24. PSU has never beat USC in Los Angeles. It lost there in 1990 and 1991.

The Lions will leave next Thursday to fly to LA. They will do so out of Harrisburg so they can take a plane large enough for its entire traveling party. The other option would be to take two planes out of State College, which is how UCLA is getting to town this weekend. PSU, however, picked an alternate path to head west.

Lions, Trojans, are both favorites this Saturday

Penn State is currently a 28.5-point favorite over UCLA, which will arrive in State College later today. The Trojans, meanwhile, are an 8.5-point favorite over the Golden Gophers. If both teams win as expected, it will set up a big day in the Big Ten, as besides this likely top 10 clash, Oregon and Ohio State play each other, as well. FanDuel lists the Buckeyes as a 2.5-point road favorite for that game.

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