Best Prop Bets for Penn State vs. USC in College Football Week 7

Reed Wallach | Oct 9, 2024

Sep 1, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Zachariah Branch (1) runs against the LSU Tigers during the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Penn State will look to cement itself as a College Football Playoff contender against USC, but the player prop vlaue lies on the Trojans side.

After a wind-filled loss to Minnesota, USC will look to find its offense against a stingy Penn State. Keep reading to find out which player props are worth betting in this pivotal Big Ten matchup.

Best College Football Prop Bets for Penn State vs. USC

• Miller Moss OVER 243.5 Passing Yards
• Zachariah Branch OVER 34.5 Receiving Yards
• Woody Marks UNDER 67.5 Rushing Yards

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Miller Moss OVER 243.5 Passing Yards

While Moss only passed for 200 yards against Minnesota, I believe part of that was due to the wind gusts of 30 miles per hour that played a role more than his play. 

The Trojans pass the ball at a top 10 rate in college football, and in games that Moss has played entirely, he has passed for 376, 283 and 308 yards on 132 total pass attempts. 

The USC offensive line is shaky, and it may not hold up all that well against Penn State, but at home I’m expected Lincoln Riley to deploy the quick passing game that will feature Moss getting the ball out quickly underneath and trying to put speed into space. 

This number is far too low given Moss’ usage. 

Zachariah Branch OVER 34.5 Receiving Yards

Speaking of the USC passing game, Branch is likely sitting on a big performance in the coming weeks. 

The Trojans speedy receiver remains a focal point of the offense, getting at least five targets in each game and six targets in four of the five, but his numbers have dropped a bit of late, totaling only 54 receiving yards over the last two games. 

I’m skeptical that Penn State's defense can shut down the opposing passing game, especially one schemed by Lincoln Riley, and Branch is still a key cog that can be deployed in many different ways. 

He can go over this on one play, which makes it tantalizing to buy the dip on the Trojans wide out. 

Woody Marks UNDER 67.5 Rushing Yards

Marks is the bellcow back, but I don’t believe the Trojans are equipped to run on this Penn State defensive line. 

While Marks got to 100 yards against Michigan, a defense that has a similar strength on the defensive line like Penn State, it took a 65 yard run to get that done. Outside of that he had 12 carries for 35 yards. 

We can see a similar script here as the Trojans’ shaky offensive line doesn’t hold up and the team needs to force the issue through the air. 

I need to go under this inflated mark after a 134-yard effort against Minnesota. 

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Follow Reed on Twitter @ReedWallach and get all his college football bets on betstamp @rw33

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