Penn State vs. USC football picks: What the oddsmakers say

Oddsmakers reveal their early prediction for Penn State vs. USC in this Week 7 college football game.

Penn State vs. USC football picks, odds / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

A new-look Big Ten football matchup brought to us by conference realignment kicks off from the Coliseum as USC looks to rebound from a slow start against No. 4 Penn State in college football’s Week 7 action on Saturday. Let’s take a look at the oddsmakers’ early prediction for the game.

USC fell out of the AP rankings this week after moving to 3-2 overall and 1-2 in Big Ten play after a surprise loss at Minnesota last Saturday, and the offense needs to shift into another gear as it lines up against one of the nation’s better defensive front seven units.

Penn State is 8th nationally in scoring defense, allowing just over 11 points per game and enters this weekend ranked No. 7 in FBS in total defensive production, allowing 4.01 yards per play.

What do the wiseguys think of the matchup?

Let’s check in with the early predictions for the Penn State vs. USC matchup from the oddsmakers heading into this notable Big Ten clash.

Penn State vs. USC picks, odds

So far, the books are giving the slight edge to the road team in this one.

Penn State is the 5.5 point favorite against USC, according to the lines at FanDuel Sportsbook.

FanDuel set the total at 47.5 points for the game.

And it listed the moneyline odds for Penn State at -215 and for USC at +180 to win outright.

Penn State: -5.5 (-105)
USC: +5.5 (-115)

Over 47.5 points: -115
Under 47.5 points: 105

Penn State vs. USC trends

Penn State is 2-3 against the spread (40%) overall so far this season ...

USC is 3-2 (60%) ATS in 2024 ...

The total went under in Penn State’s last 5 games against Big Ten opponents ...

USC is 5-10 against the spread in its last 15 games ...

Penn State is 6-1 against the spread in its last 7 games on the road ...

Southern Cal is 1-10 ATS in its last 11 games against Big Ten opponents ...

The total went under in 4 of Penn State’s last 5 games overall ...

The total went over in 6 of USC’s last 9 games as an underdog ...

Spread consensus picks, score prediction

Most bets currently project Penn State will take care of USC on the road, according to the latest spread consensus picks.

A slight majority of bettors -- 55 percent -- predict the Nittany Lions will win the game and cover the spread to stay undefeated.

The other 45 percent of wagers expect the Trojans will either keep the game under 5 points or defeat Penn State in an upset.

The implied score suggests the Nittany Lions will earn a narrow victory over the Trojans.

When taking the point spread and total into consideration, it’s implied that Penn State will defeat USC by a projected score of 27 to 21.

Our early pick: Penn State -5.5. USC’s defense is improved enough to keep the Nittany Lions’ vertical game from getting whatever it wants, but PSU can run the ball better and Miller Moss will be under a lot of pressure from Penn State’s front that will throw this offense out of rhythm early.

How to watch Penn State vs. USC

When: Sat., Oct. 12
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET | 12:30 p.m. PT
TV: CBS network

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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