College Football Week 3 Odds, Picks & Prediction: Fresno State vs. USC (2022)

Let’s take a look at the College Football Week 3 odds, picks, and predictions for this week’s game: Fresno State vs. USC.

And check out our other Week 3 College Football Game Previews & Picks:

Check out Thor Nystrom’s Week 3 College Football Power Rankings >>

College Football Week 3 Early Odds, Picks & Prediction: Fresno State vs. USC

In their first real test of the season, new head coach Lincoln Riley got passed with flying covers, going on the road last week and beating Stanford 41-28 in a game that wasn't even that close. Led by the quarterback he brought with him from Oklahoma, Caleb Williams, the Trojans put up 505 yards of total offense on the day.

Moving up to #7 in the polls, the challenge will now get back to baseline, as they welcome to town a team in Fresno State who has the guys to take them out. Just last season, this Bulldogs team beat then #13 UCLA 40-37 in LA and covered in a game vs. #11 Oregon just weeks later. They also come into this game having won four of their past five games against ranked opponents outright.

While Fresno State QB Jake Haener might have enough to keep his team around early, this USC offense is something different, and I like for the Trojans to pull away late in this one.

Pick: USC -12.5

What is Betting Against the Spread?

Betting "against the spread" refers to the act of choosing the winning team based on a numeric handicap placed on the team that oddsmakers believe is superior, rather than picking the outright winner. For example, if the Rams face the Bengals, and oddsmakers set the spread at Rams -3.5, you would need Los Angeles to win by 4 or more points in order to cash your Rams bet.

What is an Over/Under Bet?

Over/Under is a wager based on how many points you think will be scored in a specific game. Oddsmakers set the total, and bettors decide whether the final score will be higher or lower than that number. If an Over/Under is set at 44.5 points and you bet Over, you will need the combined score of both teams to be 45 points or higher to win your bet.

What is a Moneyline Bet?

A moneyline bet involves choosing which team you believe will win a specific matchup. The moneyline favorite carries a minus designation, like -130. This means that you need to wager $130 to earn a $100 profit. Conversely, the underdog carries a plus designation, like +110. This means that you win $110 in profit on a $100 bet.

Prop Bet Analyzer: View top rated props and historical prop performance by player >>

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