The Stanford Cardinal (1-0) host the No. 10 USC Trojans (1-0) in a Saturday evening contest. David Shaw is the first Pac-12 head coach that Lincoln Riley will be up against. Both teams opened the 2022 campaigns in style. USC destroyed Rice 66-14 last week. Meanwhile, Stanford topped Colgate 41-10.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Stanford Stadium. The Trojans are 9.5-point favorites in the latest USC vs. Stanford odds. The over/under for total points is set at 65. Before making any Stanford vs. USC picks, be sure to check out the college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past six-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $3,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It enters Week 2 of the 2022 college football season on a 48-37 run on all top-rated college football spread and money-line picks that dates back to 2021. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on USC vs. Stanford and just revealed its picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Now, here are several college football odds and trends for Stanford vs. USC:
- USC vs. Stanford spread: USC -9.5
- USC vs. Stanford Over-Under: 65 points
- USC vs. Stanford money line: Trojans -345, Cardinal +270
- USC: Over is 6-0 in Trojans' last six games following a straight-up win of more than 20 points
- STAN: Under is 4-0 in the last four meetings in Stanford
- USC vs. Stanford picks: See picks here.
Why USC can cover
The Trojans' defense made plenty of impactful plays last week. This group allowed 280 total yards against Rice while forcing four turnovers. Senior linebacker Shane Lee is a fluid and smooth athlete in man and zone coverage. Lee is explosive in the run game and wraps up defenders with his lengthy arms. Last week, the Maryland native secured a team-high eight tackles with a 40-yard interception return for a score.
Sophomore safety Calen Bullock is another nice player on this defense. Bullock plays the run well while being a nice asset in coverage. The California native is a secure tackler but flashed the ability to make plays on the ball. Last week, he logged six total tackles and a 93-yard pick-six return. This unit will look to force more turnovers and creates easy points.
Why Stanford can cover
Last season the Cardinal struggled to get the ground game going. They finished the campaign ranked last in the Pac-12 in rushing yards per game (87.3). Stanford is looking to change that and it got off to a solid start in the opener. It rushed for 159 yards and were headlined by junior running back E.J. Smith, the son of legendary NFL running back Emmitt Smith. Smith led the squad with 11 carries for 118 yards and two scores.
Senior receiver Michael Wilson made a serious impact on this offense against Colgate. Wilson was able to consistently break the top off the defense for deep shots down the field. The California native snagged five passes for 82 yards and two touchdowns. He also averaged 16.4 yards per reception.
How to make USC vs. Stanford picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 69 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 70% of simulations. You can only get the model's USC vs. Stanford pick at SportsLine.
So who wins USC vs. Stanford? And which side of the spread hits in well over 70% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college football picks, and find out.
