USC 7-Point Favorites vs Washington in Opening Pac-12 Championship Game Odds

• The Pac-12 Championship Game set for Friday, Dec. 18 at 8:00 p.m. ET in Los Angeles.
• The Trojans are coming off a 43-38 comeback victory against crosstown rival UCLA, while the Huskies had their Week 15 game against Oregon canceled due to COVID issues.
• Read below for a review of where USC and Washington stand and potential line movement heading into the game.

The No. 15 USC Trojans (5-0), champions of the Pac-12 South, open as 7-point favorites over the North Division-champion Washington Huskies (3-1) in the Pac-12 Championship Game at the Coliseum on Friday.

The USC side of this contest is easy, with the Men of Troy coming off a thrilling 43-38 win against crosstown rival UCLA in Week 15. The Washington side is where things get tricky. The Huskies had their scheduled matchup with Oregon canceled due to a spike of COVID-19 cases within the program.

Washington vs #15 USC Opening Odds

Odds taken Dec. 13 at William Hill

So, here we are: a top-20 CFP team against a squad with a first-year coach, a first-year starting quarterback and one that played just four games (none on the road) or faced its closest pursuer in the standings. It’s easy to see why USC is a big favorite.

Clear-Cut Favorite

Whether it’s Washington or  Oregon at the Coliseum Friday, USC is the obvious favorite.

https://twitter.com/ChrisPSwanson/status/1337976541897052161

Yes, the Trojans dodged a gauntlet of formidable opponents in this college football season unlike any other. But as any coach will tell you, all you can do is play the schedule in front of you — and Clay Helton and Co. have handled their business without a blemish. A big reason why has been Slovis and his ability to never say die.

That’s three last-minute comebacks the sophomore quarterback has engineered in 2020. UCLA had been hot — and gave the Trojans a competitive effort.  But SC rallied from an 18-point, third-quarter deficit to beat the Bruins and remain undefeated with the victory. They came out of the game relatively clean too, injury-wise. That includes Helton.

Clay Helton did a better job covering Drake London than UCLA's secondary did. #USCvsUCLA pic.twitter.com/DCN2tYYwf0

— Christopher Boan (@cgboan) December 13, 2020

The spread might get bigger as kickoff approaches.

Strange Position

As for UW, the team fell  “well below” the Pac-12’s designated minimum of 53 available scholarship players this week, according to a report in The Seattle Times. The conference also requires a scholarship minimum of one quarterback, seven offensive linemen and four defensive linemen for a team to play.

Whether or not any of those baselines will be met prior to getting on a plane Thursday afternoon to face the Trojans in the title game Friday is anyone’s guess.

The last time we saw redshirt freshman Dylan Morris lead the Dawgs on the field, they were losing 31-26 to Stanford at Husky Stadium. Before that, Jimmy Lake’s squad had beaten Oregon State, Arizona and Utah — all at home, only the Wildcats convincingly — in the head coach’s maiden campaign after taking over the program from Chris Petersen.

Is Washington really an upset away from deserving to be named Pac-12 champs with a 4-1 record? It sure doesn’t feel like it. But that’s the odd reality before us.

Bizarre Developments

The caveat to this whole thing is: what if the Huskies still can’t play Friday? It seems like that’s the direction we’re headed. The CDC reduced the recommended period for quarantines to 10 days — or seven days with a negative test. But King County health officials differ, asking all recovered to quarantine for 14 days.

Clay Helton says that USC will have to prepare for both Washington and Oregon this week.

(In case Washington cannot play in the PAC-12 title game.)

— Keely Eure (@keelyismyname) December 13, 2020

Saturday’s conference release did not include any contingency plans. But the county healthy department and the school jointly enforce a 14-day quarantine for close contacts following a suspected exposure, which would make it impossible for any close contacts who entered quarantine last week to return by Friday.

If UW is unable to play in the conference title game, it will be filled with Oregon. USC would be filled by Colorado, per conference spokesman.

Unclear when those decisions would have to be made in advance of the Friday game.

— Kyle Bonagura (@BonaguraESPN) December 13, 2020

Like the Huskies, the Ducks looked good early this season. But UO has lost two in a row (to inferior Oregon State and Cal) and just aren’t on USC’s level when it comes experience.

Bottom line: whichever team faces USC Friday could be in for a long night.