Penn State Nittany Lions Early Betting Favorite Over USC Trojans in Big Ten Matchup

The No. 11 USC Trojans will host No. 7 Penn State on Oct. 12 in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Early betting lines have James Franklin's Nittany Lions favored over Lincoln Riley's Trojans.

Jan 2, 2017; Pasadena, CA, USA; USC Trojans running back Ronald Jones II (4) runs against Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Jason Cabinda (40) and safety Marcus Allen (2) during the fourth quarter of the 2017 Rose Bowl game at Rose Bowl. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The No. 11 USC Trojans will host No. 7 Penn State on Oct. 12 in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Typically a matchup seen across town in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, the Nittany Lions are traveling to Southern California in a Big Ten Conference matchup.

Early lines from DraftKings have Penn State as three-point favorites over USC, despite the Trojans' home-field advantage. A top-15 matchup, the game carries implications further than the Big Ten championship race.

Already carrying a loss to No. 10 Michigan, USC coach Lincoln Riley and his team can not afford another stumble if they hope to win the conference. Two losses might not keep the Trojans out of the expanded College Football Playoff, but a win over Penn State would certainly boose their resume.

Jan 2, 2017; Pasadena, CA, USA; USC Trojans running back Ronald Jones II (4) runs against Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Jason Cabinda (40) and safety Marcus Allen (2) during the fourth quarter of the 2017 Rose Bowl game at Rose Bowl. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Nittany Lions have a win over No. 24 Illinois, and they are in the thick of the Big Ten championship race. On Nov. 2, three weeks after facing USC, Penn State will host No. 3 Ohio State.

In addition to winning the conference, Penn State also has College Football Playoff aspirations. A road win over a top-15 USC certainly boost their resume if they need an at-large bid.

Neither team can afford a loss, especially the Trojans, on Oct. 12, and Penn State is favored over USC by three points. Other betting lines like the over/under total and the moneyline have not been released as of Friday, Oct. 4.

Sep 28, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Miller Moss (7) throws the ball against the Wisconsin Badgers in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Before facing the Trojans, Penn State hosts a 1-3 UCLA on Saturday, Oct. 5. James Franklin and his Penn State team should have no problem arriving at USC undefeated.

As the Bruins face Franklin and company, USC will be in Minnesota for a Week 6 matchup against an unranked Golden Gophers team. Minnesota lost to Michigan 27-24 in a close game that was decided on a questionable call by the officials. Should the Trojans come away with a win, they could find themselves in the top 10.

While the matchup with Penn State is already highly anticipated across the country, the sound of a top-ten game in the Coliseum has a different ring to it.

Our game against Penn State is officially SOLD OUT! ‼️✌️

This makes it the third sold out home game this season (so far).

Third party tickets are still available via the official fan-to-fan ticket marketplace on @SeatGeek 🎟️ pic.twitter.com/mdsZFwYRay

— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) September 26, 2024

On Sept. 26, USC announced the Oct. 12 game is sold out. Tickets are still available on third-party services, but the Trojans have sold their allotment. The game marks the third sell out for USC this season.

As it stands on Oct. 4, Penn State is favored by three points. The game will be televised at on Oct. 12 at 12 p.m. PT on CBS, the third time of the season for USC.

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