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Rice Owls vs USC Trojans Predictions, Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds & Picks
Riley Era Begins
The Lincoln Riley era begins at Southern California this weekend. Riley, who left the University of Oklahoma last November to take over at USC, will coach his first game with the Trojans against Rice on Saturday.
USC was 4-8 last season and will try to engineer a dramatic one-year turnaround. This first matchup should be a walk in the park – as the college football odds indicate. The main question if you bet online is will the Trojans cover such a big line?
Let’s check the latest NCAAF picks, stats, injury reports and NCAAF odds for Rice Owls vs USC Trojans. We’ve plenty of NCAAF predictions.
Rice Owls
The Rice Owls are massive underdogs in this game, but it’s a great moment for this team to play a big-name opponent in the historic Los Angeles Coliseum. Players will learn a lot more about themselves and each other.
Rice’s coaching staff is high on receiver Brad Rozner, a guy who can make plays down the field and test a USC secondary that faces some questions early in the season.
Throwing the ball to Rozner will be T.J. McMahon, who replaces former quarterback Luke McCaffrey, the younger brother of NFL star Christian McCaffrey. Notably, Luke McCaffrey was the former quarterback for Rice.
The staff moved McCaffrey from QB to wide receiver. It will be fascinating to see how the Rice players respond. Rice’s offensive line is stronger up the middle than on the edges.
Center Isaac Klarkowski is very good. Guards Braedon Nutter and Shea Baker are high-caliber teammates.
USC Trojans
USC engaged in a massive roster overhaul, with more than 15 players transferring out of the program and over a dozen players coming in.
The highlights of this substantial amount of freeway traffic in and out of Los Angeles: Quarterback Caleb Williams followed Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma to become a Trojan.
Jordan Addison transferred from Pittsburgh to provide Williams an elite target at wide receiver. Travis Dye transferred from Oregon to give the Trojans a strong No. 1 running back.
Linebacker Shane Lee transferred from Nick Saban’s Alabama program to give USC’s defense more depth. Linebacker Eric Gentry transferred from Arizona State and stayed within the Pac-12 by making the short trip west from Tempe to L.A.
Edge rusher Romello Height transferred from Auburn, receiver Mario Williams transferred from Oklahoma and cornerback Mekhi Blackmon transferred from Colorado.
So much talent came into the program. The fascinating part is that this roster is being assembled from outsiders. Can the coaching staff make all the pieces fit in one year?
Rice Owls vs USC Trojans Injury Report
Rice has a clean injury report for this game.
USC backup quarterback Mo Hasan is out. Tight end Jude Wolfe is out. Defensive back Briton Allen is questionable and ultimately unlikely to play with a knee injury.
Rush end (defensive lineman) Korey Foreman is doubtful to play.
Rice Owls vs USC Trojans Head-to-Head
These schools have met only three times. USC leads the series 2-0-1. They played twice in the late 1940s. Their last meeting was in 1971. USC won 24-0 in Houston.
Rice Owls vs USC Trojans Game Information
- Game: Rice vs USC
- Location: Los Angeles Coliseum, Los Angeles
- Day/Time: Saturday, Sept. 3rd, 6 p.m. ET
- Rice vs USC Live Stream: ESPN
Rice Owls vs USC Trojans Betting Lines
| Team | Handicap | Total |
| Rice Owls | +32 -110 | 61½-110o |
| USC Trojans | -32 -110 | 61½-110u |
Rice Owls vs USC Trojans Prediction
USC will win big, but how big? USC’s defense will probably give up a few touchdowns, so if USC is going to cover the spread in the sportsbook, it will probably need to score over 50 points.
That’s probably where the real play is in this game: the over. USC scoring 50 and Rice scoring at least 14 is a good bet to make for your college football picks. Look for something like a 55-20 result.
