NCAAF Odds: UCLA & USC Face Off in Battle for PAC-12 Lead

Posted by Aaron . on November 27, 2015 in

The winner of the Pac-12 South Division will be decided in the Los Angeles Coliseum, as UCLA and USC will meet for the berth in the Pac-12 championship game. If USC wants to play Stanford for the conference title, they will have to beat head coach Jim Mora for the first time. USC had a chance to pick up a marquee win last week up in Oregon, but the Trojans fell short. This game against UCLA gives Trojans interim head coach Clay Helton one last chance to interview for a position he was not likely to win in the first place. So let’s take a look at the game info and NCAAF odds heading to this game.

UCLA vs USC Game Preview and Betting Info

Date/Time: Saturday, November 28th, 3:30 PM
Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
Game Odds: USC -3½
TV Channel: ABC/ESPN2
Live Stream Info: ESPN3.com

As the Trojans have shown all season, they have a considerable amount of talent on their roster. Safety Marvell Tell, offensive guard Viane Talamaivao and running back Tre Madden are all back from injury, which will give the Trojans some more weapons. UCLA is missing some key contributors due to injuries, and this could give USC the edge.

 

The Trojans feature senior quarterback Cody Kessler, who posted a strong performance against Oregon last week, going 30 for 41 with 238 yards and two scores. Kessler has never beaten UCLA, so you know this is high on his list of priorities before he graduates. UCLA is heading for its second Pac-12 title game berth under Jim Mora and their third appearance in this game in 2011. Mora has beaten the Trojans by an average of 16.3 points each time, as he has brought vitality back to the football program.

 

The Trojans are favored to win by 3.5 points. However, they have struggled to provide pass protection, and the line ranks #102 nationally in sacks permitted. It is true that Kessler holds onto the ball longer than he should. However, USC has allowed five sacks to three different opponents: Oregon, Washington and Arkansas State. UCLA ranks #37 in the nation in sacks.

UCLA Bruins

On defense, the Trojans can generate a pass rush and will need to harass Bruins freshman quarterback Josh Rosen. Rosen can read blitzes well and create offense, but when he is contained and pressured, he has struggled. The Trojans let Vernon Adams, Jr. and the Oregon Ducks do way too much creating, and they paid the price. They need to shut down Rosen.

College Football Betting Trends

UCLA Bruins
  • UCLA is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
  • The total has gone UNDER in 4 of UCLA’s last 5 games
  • UCLA is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
  • UCLA is 13-1 SU in its last 14 games on the road
  • The total has gone UNDER in 12 of UCLA’s last 18 games on the road
  • UCLA is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Southern Cal
  • UCLA is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games when playing Southern Cal
  • The total has gone UNDER in 8 of UCLA’s last 9 games when playing Southern Cal
  • UCLA is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Southern Cal
  • UCLA is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Southern Cal
  • The total has gone UNDER in 4 of UCLA’s last 5 games when playing on the road against Southern Cal
Southern Cal Trojans
  • Southern Cal is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
  • Southern Cal is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
  • Southern Cal is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games at home
  • Southern Cal is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing UCLA
  • Southern Cal is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games when playing UCLA
  • The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Southern Cal’s last 9 games when playing UCLA
  • Southern Cal is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games when playing at home against UCLA
  • Southern Cal is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against UCLA
  • The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Southern Cal’s last 5 games when playing at home against UCLA

USC Trojans 2015 NCAAF

Even with USC’s potential, they haven’t shown this year that they can take that next step and win a big game. Oregon showed the flaws in USC’s game, and you can be sure that Mora’s Bruins will take advantage of those flaws. While USC is a strong home team, UCLA has won repeatedly in the Coliseum. Look for the Trojans to put up a mighty effort…but look for UCLA to not only cover but win.