Stanford Cardinal vs. USC Trojans Odds & Game Pick (2021)
Saturday’s game between Stanford and USC should be a great one. USC will face its oldest rival in a series they lead 62-33-3. We’ve seen some wild stuff happen between these teams, including a post-game verbal confrontation between Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll, who would both wind up in the NFL. Both of these teams are familiar with each other, which means anything could happen. When betting on a rivalry game, remember that both teams will play hard. Keep that in mind as we take a peek at the Week 2 matchup.
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
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Details
- Opening Lines: USC -17, Total 52.5
- Current Winning Streak: USC (1)
- Last Meeting: September 7, 2019, USC (45-20)
Overview
USC played well against San Jose State in Week 1 and won 30-7. The offense proved in the win that they can score. Kedon Slovis went 24-for-36 and threw for 256 yards and a pair of scores, and receivers Tahj Washington and Drake London combined for 193 receiving yards. USC’s running backs combined for 141 yards on 29 carries. This offense can put up points, and you should expect them to run the ball effectively against a Stanford team that struggled to stop Kansas State’s backfield.
USC's defense looked good against San Jose State, too. They recorded two interceptions, turning one into a pick-six, which proves that USC boasts a strong secondary. They also held San Jose State to 68 yards on 19 rushes. However, their defense struggled to get to the quarterback, and they finished with zero sacks and zero pressures. USC will have to adjust and pressure the quarterback against a Stanford team that’s still trying to figure out its offensive identity. That said, USC’s defense should be solid if they can generate some pressure.
Meanwhile, Stanford is still trying to figure their offense out. They got dismantled by Kansas State last week in a 24-7 loss in which they couldn’t get anything going. Stanford rushed for 39 yards on 22 carries. They rotated between two quarterbacks every other series and neither strung anything together. Quarterback Jack West went 8-for-12 and threw two picks; quarterback Tanner McKee went 15-for-18 for 118 yards and a score. Both players took a conservative approach and primarily threw shorter passes.
Defensively, Stanford showed weakness in multiple facets of the game. They gave up 200 rushing yards on 31 carries. Stanford also gave up 144 yards on nine passes. They recorded a single interception and got to the quarterback three times. They added a quarterback pressure, too. However, their defense will struggle to stop USC from scoring.
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Bottom Line
Anything can happen in a rivalry game, but USC showed proved that they’re the more consistent team. The last time Kedon Slovis played Stanford, it was Slovis' first game after J.T. Daniels’ injury. Slovis went 28-33 and threw for 377 yards and three scores. USC will be able to score against this Stanford defense. The issue is Stanford's offense, which is still trying to find an identity. With Stanford vulnerable to the running game, USC should run the clock out once they get out to a lead. As a result, you should play the under.
Pick: Under 52.5 (-110)
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Cameron Lynch is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Cameron, check out his archive and follow him @captron26.