Utah Running Utes vs USC Trojans Prediction 10/21/2023 @ 8:00PM
Republished from SportsJaw.com
UTAH vs USC: Utes look to Make it Two in a Row against Trojans in Crucial PAC 12 Battle
5. The Utah Utes and the USC Trojans will face off in a pivotal PAC 12 battle on Saturday evening. The Utes have a 5–1 record and defeated California in convincing fashion at home last week while the Trojans have a 6–1 record but have struggled ATS (against the spread) and are coming off a road loss to Notre Dame. The Utes will look to use the momentum from last season’s 47–24 road win over the Trojans to settle the matchup this time. Despite the Utes success, the Trojans are the betting favorite at -7.5 with the line opening at -6.5.
Game Info
- When: Saturday, 10/21/2023 @ 8:00pm EST
- Where: United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Stadium
Utes vs Trojans Betting Odds
- Moneyline: Running Utes +215 | Trojans -265
- Spread: Running Utes +7 (-110) | Trojans -7 (-110)
- Total: Over/Under 54 (-110)
- Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that USC will win straight-up is 73%.
Utah vs USC Score Prediction
Utah Running Utes
The Utah Utes are targeting their third conference victory of the season. They opened the season with an impressive 4–0 record highlighted by wins against Florida and UCLA, with their only loss to #19 Oregon State in late September. Last week, their defense resumed their dominance and allowed only 254 total yards with the Utes prevailing against California 34–14.
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With a power ranking of 17, they are ranked 118 in offense (averaging 19.20 points per game), 6th in defense (allowing an average of 11.80 points to be scored against them per game) and are 5–1 (3–2–1 ATS) this season.
The Utah offense has been heavily reliant upon their running plays with freshman Nate Johnson posting 499 passing yards and three touchdowns so far this season. Junior QB Bryson Barnes recorded 128 passing yards last week and the Utes also boast three running backs, Ja’Quinden Jackson (333 rushing yards on an average of 5.5 yards per rush), Jaylon Glover (245 rushing yards) and Mikey Mathews (202 receiving yards).
This will be the defense’s biggest challenge of the season and their challenge will be to maintain their dominance against opposition. The unit has allowed 21 or fewer points in each game this season, holding Baylor to 13 and Oregon State to 21 points. The pass defense is 46th while the rush defense is among the best, marking 2nd.
QB keeper for six!📺 @Pac12Network #GoUtes | @bryson_barnes10 pic.twitter.com/r3y9pvANP8
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) October 14, 2023
USC Trojans Analysis
The USC Trojans are eager to get back into play following a 49–20 defeat to #18 Notre Dame. Despite the costly loss, USC remains 3–0 in PAC-12 play. The team is led by quarterback Caleb Williams, who many project to be a #1 NFL pick. MarShawn Lloyd is a dangerous running back, while Tahj Washington and Brenden Rice are the top receiving threats for the Trojans. USC has the #1 offense in the FBS, averaging 47.2 points per game, but the defense is proving to be their weakness, ranking at #91 for passing defense and #85 for rushing defense. Most recently, they were defeated by Utah 0–3 (1–2 ATS), with an average of 27.00 points per game given up by the defense.
.@Calebcsw finds @BrendenRice for the score!📺: NBC pic.twitter.com/1xWEbFX59q
— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) October 15, 2023
Utah Utes’ Strong Defense Troubles USC ahead of Key Matchup
Utah Utes are succeeding due to their strong defense. Despite this success, USC still narrowly won against Colorado and Arizona. Last week, USC suffered a blow when they lost to Notre Dame 48–20. Utah’s defense is preventing opponents from generating passing yards and is ranked second in rush defense. Consequently, USC is likely to struggling against Utah. Utah has one of the strongest rushing offense average 173 yards per game, meanwhile USC’s defense is 86th in stopping the run. USC has been unable to prevent opponents from scoring, allowing 28 points or more in three consecutive games.
Sources: [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ]
Written by MrmisterPublished on 10/18/2023 Category: NCAAF Picks
About the Author: I’ve been betting on sports my whole life. I actually placed 4th in the Golden Nugget contest in Vegas in 2005, and placed 3rd in the Reserve Casino Contest in Vegas in 2002. Still enjoy handicapping and glad I found this platform to share my picks.
