USC opens as slight home favorite over Utah in Pac-12 title rematch
USC is a four-point favorite over Utah in a Week 8 clash at the Coliseum.
The Utes will enter the matchup as the higher-ranked team after USC let go of the rope in South Bend over the weekend. The Trojans (6-1, 4-0 Pac-12) dropped to No. 18 in the latest AP poll while Utah (5-1, 2-1 Pac-12) moved up to No. 14. Vegas is expecting a close game between the two.
Early odds from Circa Sports set the over/under in the matchup at 55.5.
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USC is 2-5 against the spread this season. It has failed to cover in four consecutive games — the first three of which saw USC as a 20-plus-point favorite. Utah, meanwhile, is 3-2-1 against the spread.
The over has hit in six of USC’s seven games. The under has hit in five of Utah’s six.
Without quarterback Cameron Rising, Utah has had to grind out games. It’s unclear if Rising will be available for the Week 8 game; he has yet to play this season and revealed during Utah’s bye week that his injury back in January was far worse than initially revealed to be. Utah expressed public optimism he’d be available earlier in the year, but that messaging has changed in recent weeks.
USC lost to Utah twice a year ago, once in Salt Lake City and then again in the Pac-12 title game. The Trojans have every reason to treat this game as a chance to exorcise some demons.
They lost 48-20 to Notre Dame in Week 7 after turning the football over five times. Coach Lincoln Riley said after the game USC still has all its goals ahead of it, but that all changes with another poor performance against Utah.
Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. PT on FOX.