USC vs. UCLA Total Prediction
The in-state rivalry between the USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins lost its luster this season with neither team over .500. Will this Saturday afternoon matchup turn into a defensive struggle?
Game Snapshot
419 USC Trojans at 420 UCLA Bruins
3:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, November 17, 2018
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
Public Betting Trends
According to oddsmakers from online sports book BetNow.eu, the Trojans are 3.5-point favorites to beat the Bruins. The total, meanwhile, sits at 55 points. As of this writing, 68% of the public betting tickets wagered on this matchup are on the Trojans.
USC Trojans
USC freshman QB J.T. Daniels completed 21-of-34 passes for 180 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in Saturday’s 15-14 loss against Cal. It was a rough one for Daniels and the Trojans offense, as the freshman was pressured early and often by a hungry Cal defensive line. The Trojans (5-5, 4-4) are officially eliminated from the Pac-12 South title hunt, and they’re struggling to just become bowl eligible at this point. They need to find a win either next week at rival UCLA or at home on Nov. 24 against playoff-hopeful and unbeaten Notre Dame.
UCLA Bruins
UCLA redshirt senior QB Wilton Speight completed 26-of-35 passes for 335 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in Saturday’s 31-28 loss to Arizona State. Speight and the Bruins nearly beat the Sun Devils on the road, which should provide a spark heading into next week’s rivalry game against the USC Trojans. The redshirt senior drew the start over freshman Dorian Thompson-Robinson after replacing him last week, and he had his best game since transferring from Michigan. Speight’s 335 passing yards were the second-most of his entire career, and tight end Caleb Wilson was a big factor in them. Speight should be the starter next week once again.
Betting Trends
USC
The over is 4-1 in the Trojans’ last five games coming off a loss.
UCLA
The under is 37-15-1 in the Bruins’ last 53 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
Prediction
The under has been a great play in this series, going 10-1-1 in the last 12 games between the Trojans and Bruins overall and is 6-1 in the last seven meetings in L.A. The under is also 11-4-1 in the Bruins’ last 16 games played in November, is 12-5-1 in the Trojans’ last 18 games played in this month and is 27-12-1 in USC’s last 40 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
College Football Prediction: USC/UCLA under 55