Notre Dame vs. USC Picks & Odds: Trojans Are 1-7 ATS as Road Underdogs Under Helton
- USC visits No. 9 Notre Dame in Week 7 (Sat. Oct. 12)
- The Trojans are 1-7 ATS as road underdogs under Clay Helton
- How should you bet on the 2019 edition of Trojans vs Fighting Irish?
USC visits No. 9 Notre Dame in Week 7 (Saturday Oct 11th, 7:30 PM ET). The Fighting Irish are 4-1 this season, while the Trojans are 3-2.
Notre Dame remains in the College Football Playoff picture, while USC needs a strong second half to save coach Clay Helton’s job.
How should you bet on the Notre Dame vs. USC Odds?
Notre Dame vs. USC Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| USC | +11 (-115) | +310 | O 59.0 (-110) |
| Notre Dame (#11) | -11 (-105) | -420 | U 59.0 (-110) |
Odds collected 10/11/19.
Notre Dame 4-1 ATS
The Fighting Irish have been spread-covering machines this season. They are 4-1 ATS and have covered in all three home games. Notre Dame has the momentum heading into Week 7 after they covered a 45-point spread versus Bowling Green in Week 6 and beat a ranked Virginia team the previous week.
The Trojans had a bye in Week 6 after losing 28-14 to Washington in Week 5. USC has been inconsistent this season and is just 2-3 ATS. The Trojans have fallen out of the playoff picture and are fighting to save coach Clay Helton’s job, again. .
USC is 3-9 ATS as underdogs in the Clay Helton era and just 1-7 ATS as road undergos. They’ll be in tough to cover the spread at Notre Dame Stadium against a solid Fighting Irish squad.
Kedon Slovis Returns
True freshman Kedon Slovis has been named USC’s starting quarterback for the game against Notre Dame. Slovis suffered a concussion in Week 4 against Utah, but has been medically cleared to play. The Trojans QB will be out for redemption after throwing three interceptions in a loss to BYU in his last outing
“There’s not that much more you could ask for. It’s Notre Dame – USC.”@Kedonslovis is excited for his first trip to South Bend. #FightOn | #BeatTheIrish
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) October 9, 2019
Slovis will be facing a Notre Dame secondary that is among the best in the country. Notre Dame is only allowing 183 passing yards per game and has given up just three total touchdowns in the air. Notre Dame’s defense has been especially good at home, as opposing QB’s have completed just 55% of their passes at South Bend.
Ian Book Heating Up
Notre Dame’s starting QB Ian Book is heating up. Book finished 16-of-20 for 251 yards and a career-high five TD passes in Week 6 against Bowling Green. The Fighting Irish QB also turned in an impressive outing in a hostile environment against Jake Fromm and Georgia in Week 4.
Notre Dame Football Film Review: Ian Book Takes Big Steps Against Bowling Green https://t.co/cCiSKU3nEx
— UHND.com (@uhnd) October 7, 2019
Book has thrown for 1,254 yards and 13 touchdowns this season and will provide a big challenge for a USC pass defense that is allowing 236 passing yards per game.
Notre Dame has won 14 straight homes, and Book has played a big role in that success. The Senior QB has averaged 262 passing yards with 10 touchdowns and no interceptions at Notre Dame Stadium this season.
Turnover Margin
Notre Dame has won games with some big plays this season. The Fighting Irish rank second nationally in turnover margin at plus-10. They have forced 14 turnovers, including eight fumble recoveries, and also have 14 sacks.
The Tale of The Turnover is a crucial talking point in this weekend's matchup between No. 9 #NotreDame and USC.https://t.co/8K9UxK27O2
— Lou Somogyi (@BGI_LouSomogyi) October 9, 2019
USC, meanwhile, has really struggled with turnovers this season. The Trojans are tied for 122nd nationally with a minus-7 turnover margin. The Trojans have 13 turnovers this season and their quarterbacks have thrown an FBS-worst nine interceptions.
Starting quarterback Kedon Slovis and backup Matt Fink have each thrown four interceptions and struggled on the road. This game could be over quickly if the Fighting Irish take advantage of the inexperience at QB and expose the turnover problem that has plagued USC all season.
Verdict on Notre Dame vs. USC Odds
Notre Dame has momentum coming into this game and have been rock-solid at home. USC is trending in a bad direction and haven’t fared well ATS as road underdogs.
Ian Book has been a force for the Fighting Irish and matches up well against the freshman Slovis. Expect Book to build off his excellent Week 6 performance and lead Notre Dame to victory. Notre Dame’s defense has been tremendous at home and should frustrate an inexperienced Slovis.
The Fighting Irish have have won the last two meetings by an average of 21 points. They have better talent on both side of the ball and should cover the spread at home.
Pick: Notre Dame (-11)
Brady is the lead NHL and College Football editor at Sports Betting Dime, where he specializes in betting odds and data-driven analysis. Brady has over 10 years experience working in sports media, with work published by outlets such as ESPN, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and Fox Sports.
