The Washington State Cougars will look to get back in the win column when they take on the No. 20 USC Trojans in a key Pac-12 Conference crossover game on Sunday. Neither team played last week due to the coronavirus. The Cougars (1-1) have not been able to play in three weeks. Washington State dropped a 43-29 decision to Oregon on Nov. 14, while USC (3-0) defeated Utah 33-17 on Nov. 21.
Game time from the Los Angeles Coliseum is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. USC is averaging 470.3 yards per game, while Washington State averages 438.5. The Trojans are 11.5-point favorites in the latest Washington State vs. USC odds from William Hill Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is set at 68.5. Before making any USC vs. Washington State picks, check out the college football predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of over $3,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It is also a sizzling 49-25 on all top-rated picks through 13 weeks of the 2020 college football season, returning almost $1,300 in profit already. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Southern Cal vs. Washington State. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the college football odds and trends for Washington State vs. Southern Cal:
- Washington State vs. USC spread: USC -11.5
- Washington State vs. USC over-under: 68.5 points
- Washington State vs. USC money line: Washington State +330, USC -430
- WSU: Is playing on a Sunday for the first time since 1988
- USC: The Trojans are 42-29-7 all-time in the month of December
Why USC can cover
The Trojans returned their entire stable of productive running backs this season after they combined for 1,500 yards with 16 touchdowns in 2019. Redshirt sophomore Markese Stepp leads USC in rushing, carrying 26 times for 135 yards (5.2 average) and two touchdowns. In his two-plus seasons with the Trojans, he has carried 81 times for 475 yards (5.9 average) and five scores. In seven games last season, Stepp had 307 yards on 48 carries (5.7 average) and three touchdowns.
Also powering the ground attack is senior Vavae Malepeai, who has 33 rushes for 130 yards (3.9 average) and two touchdowns. Against Utah two weeks ago, he rushed a season-high 20 times for 62 yards and a TD. Malepeai has 1,394 rushing yards with 16 touchdowns in his career, including a team-high 503 yards and six touchdowns in just seven games despite missing five games with a knee injury in 2019. He also has 46 career receptions for 220 yards (4.8 average) and one touchdown.
Why Washington State can cover
Despite that, the Trojans are not a lock to cover the Washington State vs. USC spread. That's because the Cougars can score and are averaging 33.5 points per game. Freshman quarterback Jayden de Laura has gotten off to a fast start to his career, completing 43 of 72 passes (59.7 percent) for 548 yards and four touchdowns. He has been intercepted once, but has a rating of 139.2. In the loss to Oregon, he completed 25 of 39 passes (64.1 percent) for 321 yards and two scores.
Also leading the way is senior running back Deon McIntosh, who is doing a good job of keeping the pressure off his young QB. McIntosh leads the team in rushing with 34 carries for 239 yards (7.0 average) and two touchdowns. He also has one reception for 29 yards. Against Oregon State on Nov. 7, McIntosh ran wild, carrying 18 times for 147 yards (8.2 average) and a score. For his career, which began at Notre Dame in 2017, McIntosh has rushed 115 times for 718 yards (6.2 average) and eight touchdowns.
How to make USC vs. Washington State picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total. In fact, it says Slovis will throw for more than 300 yards, but be's held to just two touchdowns, while Washington State running backs will be limited to fewer than 100 yards rushing and one TD. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in over 60 percent of simulations. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Washington State vs. Southern California? And which side of the spread hits over 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the USC vs. Washington State spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up over $3,500 on its top-rated college football spread picks, and find out.
