UL Lafayette makes its only Power Four trip of the season on Saturday night, and the number attached to it is enormous. USC is laying 31 points at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and the spread has not budged since it opened. The total has moved, sliding a half point with the juice tilting toward the Under. The Trojans are 2-0 and have yet to allow a first-half point. Below we break down both sides of the spread and the total.
Last Updated: Saturday, September 12, 2026
UL Lafayette vs. USC — Time & How to Watch
| Where | United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA |
| When | Saturday, September 12 – 11:00 PM ET |
| TV | Big Ten Network |
UL Lafayette vs. USC Betting Preview
USC has been ruthless in the opening 30 minutes. The Trojans have outscored San José State and Fresno State 58-0 before halftime, and they have outgained those two opponents 1,057 yards to 452. Lincoln Riley’s offense averages 528.5 yards per game. The defense surrenders 226. The scores tell the same story: a 42-26 win over San José State on August 29, then a 39-0 shutout of Fresno State.
Quarterback Jayden Maiava is the engine. He went 23-of-25 for 349 yards and three touchdowns against Fresno State, which earned him Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. His season completion rate sits at 88.9 percent. USC is ranked No. 14 by both the Associated Press and the coaches poll, and this is the last tune-up before Big Ten play opens. Defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart has been sidelined by a foot injury, though Riley has described his return as close.
UL Lafayette opened with a 38-7 win over Lamar on September 5. Quarterback Lunch Winfield completed 16 of 22 passes for 189 yards and added 84 rushing yards. Running back Darrell Smith matched that total on the ground with two scores. Safety Brent Gordon Jr., a first-team preseason All-Sun Belt pick, posted seven tackles and an interception.
Michael Desormeaux is in his fifth season and has taken this program to a bowl game every year. The Cajuns finished 6-7 in 2025 but closed the regular season on a four-game winning streak. Preseason voters picked them second in the Sun Belt West. This is the first meeting ever between the two programs, so there is no series history to lean on.
UL Lafayette vs. USC Odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| UL Lafayette | +31 (-110) | +1600 | U 59.5 (-115) |
| USC | -31 (-110) | -10000 | O 59.5 (-105) |
Odds accurate as of Saturday, September 12, 2026 via TheSpread.com. Odds change, get the latest NCAAF Odds – Futures – Props
UL Lafayette vs. USC Prediction — Is 31 Points Too Much to Ask?
The case for laying the number is straightforward. USC has been better than its opponents in every phase, and the first-half splits are brutal. A team averaging 29 first-half points needs only two ordinary quarters to bury a 31-point spread. Maiava has been close to flawless, and the Coliseum will not help a visiting offense working on a body clock two hours ahead.
The case for the points is about math and roster depth. USC’s average margin through two games is 27.5, which sits under this number. The Trojans have beaten only one of their two opponents by more than 31 points, and that came against a Fresno State team that managed nothing. UL Lafayette is a different profile. Desormeaux’s group runs the ball, shortens games, and has enough returning talent to avoid the four-turnover disaster that turns a 24-point loss into a 45-point loss.
Late-night blowouts also have a rhythm. Once a Power Four team is up five scores, starters come out and the clock runs. That is where 31-point spreads go to die. The market has also declined to push this number higher after a week of one-sided USC coverage, which suggests the price is full. We looked at a similar mismatch in Norfolk State vs Virginia Prediction for September 11: Spread too High?
The counter is real. If Winfield turns it over early, the game is decided by the second quarter and the backups still cover. We take the points anyway.
The Pick: UL Lafayette +31 (-110)
UL Lafayette vs. USC Prediction — Will the Scoreboard Keep Spinning?
The total opened at 60 with even juice and now sits at 59.5 with the money leaning Under. That is a small move, but the direction matters. USC averages 40.5 points per game, so the Over needs only a modest contribution from the visitors to get there. Fresno State did not provide it. San José State did, and that game produced 68 points.
The Under case rests on pace and script. UL Lafayette wants to run the ball, and a heavy ground plan drains clock while trailing. USC’s defense has allowed 13 points per game and pitched a shutout last week. If the Trojans lead by four or five scores at the break, the second half becomes a clock-killing exercise for both benches. A shootout, in contrast, requires UL Lafayette to sustain drives against a defense that has not cracked yet.
The Pick: Under 59.5 (-115)
Final Thoughts and Bonus Angle
The moneyline deserves a mention, if only to be set aside. UL Lafayette at +1600 implies roughly a 5.9 percent chance of winning outright. That is a short price for a 31-point underdog. Teams getting five touchdowns and change usually pay considerably more when they are offered at all. There is no edge in taking a number that light on a genuine upset, so the outright is a pass here.
USC should win this comfortably, and nobody backing the Cajuns needs to pretend otherwise. Both positions above are bets on margin and game state, not on the result, and they fit together. A USC win by 20 to 28 points in a game that finishes in the low 50s cashes both.
Recap of our picks: UL Lafayette +31 (-110) and Under 59.5 (-115). No bonus play on the moneyline.
NCAAF UL Lafayette vs. USC FAQ: Saturday September 12, 2026
What time does the UL Lafayette vs. USC game start?
Kickoff is set for 11:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 12, 2026. That is 8:00 p.m. local time in Los Angeles and 10:00 p.m. CT in Lafayette. It is the latest window on the Week 2 college football schedule and the final game of the night.
What channel is the UL Lafayette vs. USC game on?
The game airs on Big Ten Network. Mark Followill has the play-by-play call with Rhett Lewis on analysis and Caroline Hendershot reporting from the sideline. The broadcast details come from USC’s athletics department.
Where are UL Lafayette and USC playing?
The game is at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. The stadium holds roughly 77,500 and is USC’s home venue. This is a standard home game for the Trojans, not a neutral-site matchup, and it is UL Lafayette’s only Power Four road trip this season.
Is UL Lafayette or USC ranked?
USC is ranked No. 14 in both the Associated Press poll and the AFCA coaches poll this week. UL Lafayette is unranked. The Trojans enter at 2-0 after wins over San José State and Fresno State, while the Ragin’ Cajuns are 1-0 following their season-opening win over Lamar.
Who is starting at quarterback for UL Lafayette and USC?
Jayden Maiava starts for USC and Lunch Winfield starts for UL Lafayette. Maiava has completed 88.9 percent of his passes through two games and was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. Winfield went 16-of-22 for 189 yards and ran for 84 more in the opener.