NCAAF Upset Pick of Week: Bet on Nebraska vs USC
- Will a three-game losing streak affect the Nebraska vs USC betting line?
- USC is 3-1 when playing at home this season.
- The schools are playing for the first time as Big Ten foes.
- Check BetUS sportsbook for the latest odds before making your bet.
The new world of the Big Ten Conference continues to throw us matchups that we haven’t seen on the football field in years or even decades. Saturday brings yet another such game with the Nebraska Cornhuskers facing off against the USC Trojans on the road.
Both teams had high hopes for the season, especially after some big early victories, but both have struggled during conference play. Nebraska (5-4, 2-4 Big Ten) is looking for one more victory to become bowl-eligible while the Trojans (4-5, 2-5) need two more victories.
The college football odds have USC as a nine-point favorite in this one. You can get Nebraska at +258 for a straight-up win on the road, while the Trojans are -315 to win when not giving any points. The over/under for the contest is set at 50½ points.
Nebraska vs USC Game Information
- Game: Nebraska (5-4, 2-4 Big Ten) vs USC (4-5, 2-5)
- Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 16, 4:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
- Nebraska vs USC Live Stream: FuboTV
2 Things to Consider When Betting Nebraska vs USC
1. Raiola Should Have Time to Throw
Nebraska freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola was highly touted coming into the season and he showed his potential early on, especially in a rousing win over Colorado. Raiola has thrown for 1,921 yards and 10 touchdowns, though he has just two scoring tosses over the last five games.
A big problem for Raiola has been having the time to find his receivers. The signal caller has been sacked 20 times this season, including 14 in the Cornhuskers’ four losses.
Fortunately for the freshman, per Nebraska vs USC stats, this week should be a little easier. USC ranks last in the Big Ten in sacks with just 13, so Raiola should have the time to pick apart the Trojans’ secondary. Opponents are averaging 237.3 yards through the air against USC, which is 12th in the conference.
Raiola will also be working with a new offensive coordinator as Dana Halgorsen was named to the position just this week after Marcus Satterfield was moved to tight ends coach. It’s head coach Matt Rhule’s attempt to shake up the stagnant Nebraska offense.
“He can’t come in and change the offense,” Rhule said of Holgorsen. “He can’t install the Air Raid. We’re in Week 11. He can come in and say, ‘What are the things we do well? Who are the guys who make plays and let’s figure out how to do it with those guys.’”
Raiola has been dealing with a back issue but should be good to go for this one, giving us confidence in our NCAAF picks. His new coordinator and the USC pass defense means he could have a big performance.
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2. Trojans Struggling to Put it all Together
USC has been taking its lumps in its first season in the Big Ten, losing one-score games to Michigan, Minnesota, Penn State, Maryland and Washington. Closing out conference contests has been extremely difficult for the Trojans.
Quarterback Miller Moss had been consistent, throwing for at least 200 yards in every game this season and for two or more touchdowns in his last four outings. But he’s coming off a three-interception game in the loss to Washington last weekend, leading to a switch at the position.
Coach Lincoln Riley has demoted Moss and will go with Jayden Maiava against the Cornhuskers. The sophomore transferred from UNLV prior to this season and has only thrown 11 passes in limited playing time with the Trojans.
Asked Jayden Maiava what he thinks he can bring to the USC offense in the last three weeks. One word: accountability.
“I am going to be a brothers keeper, I hope they do the same.” pic.twitter.com/tbcxeQ0Jvh
— Jude Ocañas (@judocanas) November 7, 2024
The lack of a consistent defense and a newcomer starting at quarterback doesn’t make for a very solid favorite for NCAA football predictions. We have a hard time seeing the Trojans suddenly putting things together in this one.
Get yourself a big payout by taking the underdog Cornhuskers for the outright win – our pick for the upset of the week when you bet online.
Bet on Nebraska ML (+258) vs USC
Question of the Day
What is the all-time record in the series between Nebraska and USC?
The Trojans have a 4-0-1 all-time record against the Cornhuskers, with the last meeting coming in the 2014 Holiday Bowl.
Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.
