USC vs San Jose State Odds, Spread & Picks – College Football Week 0

• USC vs San Jose State takes place in College Football Week 0 on Saturday, August 26th
• The Trojans are priced as massive favorites at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
• Read below for USC vs San Diego State odds, spread and betting prediction

Reigning Heisman winner Caleb William and the USC Trojans begin their 2023 college football season with a matchup against the San Jose State Spartans in Week 0. USC is coming off an 11-3 campaign in the Pac-12, while San Jose State is coming off a 7-5 season in the Mountain West.

The latest USC vs San Jose State odds have the Trojans priced as large 30.5-point favorites at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The game total is set at 66 points, with oddsmakers projecting plenty of fireworks for a matchup featuring Lincoln Riley’s high-powered offense.

Let’s dive into the USC vs San Jose State odds, and provide you our betting picks for this college football Week 0 showdown.

USC vs San Jose State Odds

The Trojans are massive -9000 favorites on the moneyline, meaning they have an implied win probability of 98.9%.

For those looking to tune in, the game will be broadcasted on the Pac-12 Network at 8:00 PM ET.

Odds as of August 23rd, at BetMGM Sportsbook. Claim the BetMGM promo code to bet on College Football Week 0. 

Trojans Boast High-Powered Offense

USC begins the 2023 college football season with one of the most dynamic offenses in college football. The Trojans averaged 41.4 points per game last season, which ranked third in the country. The team relied heavily on its passing game, averaging 335.4 YPG through the air.

USC features the reigning Heisman winner in quarterback Caleb Williams, who is also the favorite to repeat in the 2023 Heisman odds. During his incredible 2022 campaign, Williams passed for 4,537 yards and 42 TDs with 5 interceptions.

It will be exciting to see what Caleb Williams can do in his second season at USC under Lincoln Riley.

He can make all the throws, multiple arm angles, all the improvisation. This highlight real shows all of his escapability and his elusive speed. pic.twitter.com/ahoNrmWGDG

— Lee Parayno (@leeparayno) August 14, 2023

Among USC’s other key returning players are running back Austin Jones and wide receiver Mario Williams. Jones rushed for 705 yards in 2022, while Williams accumulated 631 yards through the air. However, the team must overcome the loss of top WR Jordan Addison, who is now playing in the NFL.

Defensively, the Trojans are still a work in progress. Riley’s team surrendered 423.9 yards per game last season, which placed them outside the top-100 nationally. A key to the team’s success last season was turnovers, as the defense averaged 1.4 interceptions per contest.

Spartans Are Experienced Yet Flawed

San Jose State is looking to build off its decent 7-5 campaign in 2022 and compete for a Mountain West Title in 2023. Head coach Brent Brennan returns for his seventh year, leading a team with 14 returning starters and a talented roster.

While the MVP of the Trojans plays the quarterback position, the same can be said for the Spartans. SJS quarterback Chevan Cordeiro was named the conference’s preseason offensive player of the year after throwing for 3,242 yards and 23 TDs with six picks in 2022.

The Spartans also feature one of the Mountain West’s best running backs in Kairee Robinson, who rushed for 762 yards and 10 TDs last season. Even though the Spartans boast clear talent on the offensive side of the ball, the team only averaged 27.4 points per game last year (72nd nationally).

Defense was a strength for San Jose State in 2022, as the team only allowed 339.9 yards per game, which was 33rd in the nation. Unfortunately, the team must replace a wealth of experience in that department, including top sack leaders Villami Fehoko, Cade Hall, and Kyle Harmon.

USC vs SJSU Betting Trends

Before making a USC vs SJSU prediction, it’s important to note some key betting trends for the matchup. USC was one of the most profitable college football teams last season from a betting perspective, covering the spread in eight of their 14 games.

The Trojans were favored by at least 30 points in two separate matchups, and covered the spread both times. San Jose State, on the other hand, secured only four wins against the spread in 12 games last season.

When it comes to the game total, 11 out of 14 USC games went over the number last year. The Spartans, meanwhile, saw five of their 12 contests go over the point total. In head-to-head trends, the Trojans have dominated this matchup, winning all five meetings between 1995 to 2021.

USC vs San Jose State Prediction

USC has the offensive firepower to light up the scoreboard on Saturday, but there are some serious questions about their defense following its lackluster performance last season. The Spartans also have questions in that area after key off-season defensive departures.

⚠️ IT’S GAME WEEK! ⚠️

Kicking off the tour at home… 🏠

🗓️ This Saturday 8/26
⌚️ 5:00 PM PT
📍 @lacoliseum
📺 @Pac12Network
🎟️ https://t.co/QPV7vGTg8u

Y’all ready? ‼️👀✌️ pic.twitter.com/vW9bGA5xNG

— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) August 22, 2023

When these two teams last met in 2021, USC cruised to a 30-7 victory. Both these teams have talented quarterbacks, but they weren’t playing in that meeting two years ago. Williams and Cordeiro should both start off their respective campaigns with a bang at LA Memorial Coliseum.

Not only did all but three USC games go over the total last season, but the Trojans are currently on an eight-game run to the “over”. Don’t buck the trend; bet on plenty of points being put up in this college football week zero showdown.

• Pick: USC vs SJSU Over 66 (-110)