USC vs. Cal Spread Prediction
Pac-12 rivals meet in Southern Cal on Saturday night when the USC Trojans host the Cal Golden Bears at 10:30 p.m. ET. Laying 4.5 points as a home favorite, will the Trojans cover the spread?
Game Snapshot
195 Cal Golden Bears at 196 USC Trojans
10:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, November 10
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
Public Betting Trends
According to oddsmakers from online sports book BetNow.eu, the Trojans are 4.5-point favorites to beat the Bears. The total, meanwhile, sits at 45 points. As of this writing, 63% of the public betting tickets wagered on this matchup are on the Trojans.
Cal Golden Bears
Cal redshirt freshman QB Chase Garbers completed 15-of-26 passes for 127 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Saturday’s 19-13 loss at Washington State. Garbers also rushed for a game-best 67 yards on 12 totes, and he had the Cougs on upset alert with the game tied 13-13 late in the fourth quarter. However Garbers was unable to help the Golden Bears to a season sweep of the Washington schools. Cal is still in good shape for a bowl bid, as they’re just one win short of six victories and eligibility. Next up is a trip to USC on Saturday.
USC Trojans
USC freshman QB J.T. Daniels (concussion) is participating in warmups ahead of Saturday’s game at Oregon State. Daniels, who missed USC’s October 27 game against Arizona State as a result of the concussion, returned to practice Tuesday and was expected to be ready for the Oregon State game. His going through pregame lines up with that expectation, and is good news for a USC team in need of a win. Should the freshman have any issues, redshirt freshman Jack Sears would be next in line to run the offense.
Betting Trends
Cal
The Bears are 5-0 against the spread in their last five games played in the month of November and are 5-1 against the number in their last six road games.
USC
The Trojans are 1-5 against the spread in their last six home games and 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 games played overall.
Prediction
The favorite is 7-2 against the spread in the last nine meetings between these two teams while the Golden Bears failed to cover the number in seven of their last nine games against the Trojans. USC has also won 13 in a row over Cal dating back to its 34-31 triple-overtime loss in 2003 at Berkeley and while both teams have been inconsistent this season, I’ll back the Trojans at home. They’re 20-3 in their last 23 conference tilts.
College Football Prediction: USC Trojans -4.5