A Friday night trap game potentially looms as our Colorado vs. USC prediction details why the Trojans should be on upset alert. Can USC keep pace in the national picture and keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive?
Colorado vs. USC Betting Preview
- Spread
USC (-34) - Moneyline
n/a - Over/Under
66 points - Game time
9:30 p.m. ET - Location
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA - Predicted weather at kickoff
56 degrees, clear, no wind - How to watch
fuboTV, ESPNU
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
- QB Caleb Williams, USC ($12,500)
- QB Brendon Lewis, Colorado ($7,000)
- QB J.T. Shrout, Colorado ($7,000)
- RB Travis Dye, USC ($10,500)
- RB Anthony Hankerson, Colorado ($6,800)
- RB Austin Jones, USC ($6,500)
- RB Alex Fontenot, Colorado ($6,000)
- RB Jayle Stacks, Colorado ($5,200)
- RB Raleek Brown, USC ($5,100)
- WR Jordan Addison, USC ($9,800)
- WR Mario Williams, USC ($8,200)
- WR Tahj Washington, USC ($8,100)
- WR Michael Jackson III, USC ($7,800)
- WR Daniel Arias, Colorado ($6,100)
- WR Montana Lemonious-Craig, Colorado ($5,700)
- WR Kyle Ford, USC ($5,600)
- WR Terrell Bynum, USC ($5,500)
- WR R.J. Sneed II, Colorado ($5,300)
- WR Brenden Rice, USC ($5,300)
- TE Brady Russell, Colorado ($5,200)
- TE Josh Falo, USC ($5,200)
- TE Malcolm Epps, USC ($5,100)
The only question about filling your lineup with Trojans is in regards to how long they’ll actually play. This game is set up to get out of hand early despite some injuries, and the removal of USC QB Caleb Williams is to be expected.
Can Williams play enough and score enough points to justify his top salary on Friday? That’s a great question, but one that leans toward playing Jake Haener in your Superflex position.
However, with the starters likely to get pulled and the wide receiving corps already banged up with injuries, there’s a chance we see some extended reps for players on USC with lower salaries.
Tahj Washington carries the third-highest salary for USC receivers, and he’ll likely see the most targets on Friday night. That being said, Brenden Rice is already fourth on the team in total targets and just five behind Washington.
The salary gap between Washington and Rice is far too high to overlook. With Rice’s expected workload far outpacing his usual seasonal averages, it makes him the highest priority low-value option for your DFS Friday night slate.
And while we’re here, stay away from the Colorado offense in this game. Far away. The Buffs rank dead last in the Pac-12 in far too many offensive categories to name.
Prediction for Colorado vs. USC
The Trojans must avoid one thing: the proverbial trap game on a Friday night in November. USC is far and away the better team than Colorado and can rely on their superstar QB to carry them to victory here.
Except, how healthy will this team remain? Starting wide receivers Jordan Addison and Mario Williams are each suffering from nagging injuries. They have both missed two games this year and have a tough two-game stretch to end the regular season with UCLA and Notre Dame left to play.
Addison and Williams should be on the field during warm-ups, and whether or not they play, will go a long way toward just how big this game is for USC’s offense. Instead of relying upon the passing game, head coach Lincoln Riley may simply opt to shorten this game and ride his running game to victory.
Can the Trojans score enough on the ground to cover that 34-point spread? Look away, Buffs fans, because the answer is yes.
MORE: Heisman Trophy Odds and Favorites
Travis Dye is a bonafide star. He leads the team with nine touchdowns on the ground and averages nearly 6.5 yards per carry. Considering Colorado’s run defense allows 5.85 yards per attempt, 232.6 yards per game, and 2.9 rushing touchdowns per game, it looks like Dye could have a career day.
The Trojans won’t need to do much in order to shut down the Buffs’ offense either, and without budding star WR Jordyn Tyson, Colorado could very easily be stymied all game long.
If you take the over, you’re hoping for garbage time points from Colorado. But it shouldn’t happen here because style points are going to matter for USC in the long run.
Prediction: USC 48, Colorado 10
