San Jose State Spartans vs. USC Trojans NCAAF Betting Preview & Picks (08/26/2023)

Lincoln Riley stunned the college football world when he bolted the Oklahoma Sooners for the USC Trojans in the dead of night. Oklahoma moves to the SEC for the 2024 season. At that time, Riley saw a much easier path to the national championship at USC, which plays in the Pac-12 Conference, until next year. After Riley committed to USC, they committed to move to the Big Ten Conference for 2024. Now the College Football odds joke is on Riley. To illuminate, USC is switching to the Big Ten Conference in 2024.

San Jose State Spartans vs. USC Trojans NCAAF Betting Information

Date and Time:Saturday, August 26, 2023, 7 p.m. ET
Location:United Airlines Field at the LA Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA.
TV Coverage:Pac-12 Network
Odds at SBG Sportsbook
TeamSpreadTotalML
San Jose State+30 -11066½ -110+2500
USC-30 -11066½ -110-9000
Bet Now on this Game

San Jose State at USC SBG Odds Overview

Additionally, complicating sports betting matters is that the Pac-12 will go out in a blaze of potential glory. The 2023 Pac-12 Conference is the best lineup of teams in that league for a decade. Next year, the league may not even exist. Cause by only four of its teams are not moving on to other leagues.

San Jose State Spartans Team Overview

Last season, the San Jose State Spartans won seven games and earned a postseason bid to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Still, San Jose State could have had an even better season. Consider the Spartans suffered three losses by eight points or less.

Quarterback Chevan Cordeiro could be the conference’s top-returning signal-caller and will work behind an experienced offensive line. Elijah Cooks is a big loss at receiver, but Justin Lockhar and Charles Ross will step into the void as the new go-to targets. Meanwhile, six starters are back on defense. But Viliami Fehoko and Cade Hall won’t be easy to replace.

Coach Brent Brennan’s team has a tough draw in this season opener. USC is one of the most talented teams in college football. To show, the Trojans are loaded with 5-star recruits. In comparison, San Jose State gets a lot of leftover talent. But San Jose State has plenty of heart and character. USC remains a team that is considered soft and entitled.

USC Trojans Team Overview

Of course, scoring points won’t be a problem again for USC. But their hopes of a CFB Playoff trip in coach Lincoln Riley’s second year all hinge on how far the defense improves. It is true that Riley opted to keep Alex Grinch as coordinator after an alarming end to the ’22 season.

Still, this unit should have some optimism thanks to a major haul of transfers, including defensive linemen Bear Alexander from Georgia and Anthony Lucas from Texas A&M, linebacker Mason Cobb from Oklahoma State, and cornerback Christian Roland-Wallace from Arizona.

In turn, Quarterback Caleb Williams and a loaded group of skill players should pick up where they left off last season. However, for all the USC firepower on Riley’s offense, hopes of a Pac-12 title and CFP berth rest with finding ways to improve the defense.  The defense will decide the USC season and their ability to cover this big number.

San Jose State at USC SBG Free Picks

In this situation, San Jose State has enough to stay within the College Football odds.

San Jose State at USC SBG Best Bet: San Jose State Spartans.