USC Trojans Underdogs vs. No. 4 Penn State, James Franklin: Betting Odds

The unranked USC Trojans take on No. 4 Penn State and coach James Franklin at the Los Angeles Coliseum. What are the betting odds for this matchup after losing to Minnesota?

Oct 5, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Darius Taylor (1) runs the ball against the USC Trojans during the first half at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans host the No. 4 Penn State Nittany Lions at 12:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, Oct. 12.

The Nittany Lions are favored by 4.5 points over the Trojans per DraftKings Sportsbook, and the over/under total is set at 49 points.

USC Trojans Home Underdogs vs. Penn State

The USC Trojans are 4.5-point underdogs against the visiting Penn State Nittany Lions. The Trojans are coming off a disappointing 24-17 loss at the hands of the Minnesota Golden Gophers, dropping USC to 3-2 on the season and 1-2 in Big Ten play. 

The Trojans offense was only able to generate 17 points on the stringy Golden Gophers defense. USC quarterback Miller Moss struggled to get it going and turned the ball over twice. It was a brutal loss for USC and one they will be thinking about for a long time. 

Penn State, on the other hand, is 5-0 and coming off a 27-11 win over UCLA. The Nittany Lions haven’t exactly looked like world-beaters in their opening five games. However, they have gotten the job done every week to keep their perfect record, and it has resulted in them moving up to No. 4 in the country. 

USC Looking to Bounce Back

Oct 5, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley looks on during the second half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans have lost their opening two Big Ten road games. A few weeks ago, USC lost to Michigan 27-24 and then on Saturday 24-17 to Minnesota. Now, USC goes back home to face a highly-ranked Penn State team. It’s a tall task, but it’s an opportunity to turn the season back around.

A win over the No. 4 team in the land will right the ship on the USC season. The Trojans were ranked in the AP Poll throughout the whole season and entered Saturday night's game in Minneapolis as their No. 11 team in the country. They left with their second loss, and are now outside of the top 25. 

A loss would drop USC to 3-3 and a 1-3 mark in Big Ten play. For a season that had such a promising start with their opening week win over LSU, it has started to snowball fast. Trojans coach Lincoln Riley seemed extra irritated last night following the loss. 

USC will need to have a big game next week to get back on track.  

USC vs. Penn State Matchup History

Jan 2, 2017; Pasadena, CA, USA;USC Trojans defensive back Leon McQuay III (22) intercepts a pass intended for Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback Jordan Smith (12) with 42 seconds left during the 103rd Rose Bowl at Rose Bowl. USC defeated Penn State 52-49 in the highest scoring game in Rose Bowl history. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans and Penn State Nittany Lions have played in some huge games over the years.

These two teams have faced off 10 times with the Trojans winning six of the matchups. The last game was an all-time classic Rose Bowl Game in 2017. USC won 52-49.

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