USC Trojans To Upset Texas A&M Aggies? Las Vegas Bowl Prediction, Betting Odds

The USC Trojans will play the Texas A&M Aggies in the Las Vegas Bowl. Can USC finish off 2024 on a good note? USC coach Lincoln Riley looks to finish the season above .500 against Texas A&M coach Mike Elko and the Aggies.

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) moves the ball as Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Gabriel Rubio (97) moves in during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans will face the Texas A&M Aggies in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl on Friday, Dec. 27 at 7:30 p.m PT on ESPN.

The Trojans and Aggies will each be looking to finish of their 2024 season on a high note. 

USC vs. Texas A&M Betting Odds

Nov 23, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; DUPLICATE***USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) and head coach Lincoln Riley in the closing minute of the Trojans win over UCLA at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

The Trojans enter Friday’s game as a 3.5-point underdog to the Aggies. The over/under is currently set at 51.5 points. 

USC and Texas A&M both came into the year with high expectations. 2024 did not go as planned. The Trojans finished 6-6 and the Aggies finished 8-4. At one point in the season, each of these teams were ranked as high as No. 10 to No.11 in the country. 

In the College Football Playoff’s final top-25 rankings, both teams were unranked. 

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USC vs Texas A&M Preview

Despite being a 3.5-point underdog, ESPN’s Football Power Index gives USC a 50.8 percent chance to beat Texas A&M. 

It will be a new look USC team that takes the field on Friday night. The Trojans have had 19 players enter the transfer portal since their last game to wrap up the regular season against Notre Dame. The wide receiver room has been decimated by the transfer portal. Key contributors in the passing game in 2024, Duce Robinson, Zachariah Branch, and Kyron Hudson all entered the portal. 

The good news for USC is that they will still have their starting quarterback from their last three games, Jayden Maiava, under center vs Texas A&M. 

Texas A&M has also had a decent amount of outgoing transfers. Their roster will be much more thin as well as the Aggies have had 20 players enter the portal. 

USC vs. Texas A&M Score Prediction

Nov 30, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) looks for an open receiver as Texas Longhorns linebacker Trey Moore (8) defends during the fourth quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

This is a battle of programs that underperformed in 2024. While bowl games are deemed “meaningless” by pundits, they can provide momentum for a team heading into the offseason. For USC it would be nice to finish the year with a winning record. 

Texas A&M didn’t score an offensive point in their last outing vs rival Texas. 

If there was an arrow pointing in the direction of the trend of Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans football program, it would be pointing downward. For Texas A&M, while the season may be a disappointment, they can fall back on it being coach Mike Elko’s first year at the helm.

Score Prediction:

Texas A&M 31, USC 24. The Aggies win and cover in the SRS Disribution Las Vegas Bowl.

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