The No. 4 Penn State Nittany Lions head to California on Saturday for a Big Ten battle as they take on the USC Trojans in Week 7 on CBS and Paramount+. Penn State is a 5-0, though a few closer-than-expected calls have the Nittany Lions at just 2-3 against the spread despite being relatively heavy favorites every game. USC is 3-2 overall and ATS after dropping two of its last three in conference play, turning the heat up on Lincoln Riley as he navigates USC through a Big Ten schedule for the first time.
Kickoff from LA Memorial Coliseum is set for 3:30 p.m. ET. The Nittany Lions are -5.5 in the latest Penn State vs. USC odds via SportsLine consensus. The over/under is 48. Before making any USC vs. Penn State picks, be sure to check out the college football predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
Saturday’s game can be seen live on CBS and streamed live on Paramount+, which you can now get for a 7-day free trial. Sign up right here.
The model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a profit of well over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It’s also on an 8-4 run on top-rated college football picks over the past two weeks. Anyone who has followed it has seen strong returns.
Now, the model has dialed in on Penn State vs. USC and just revealed its coveted picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are the college football odds for the spread, money line and over/under:
- Penn State vs. USC spread: Penn State -5.5
- Penn State vs. USC over/under: 48 points
- Penn State vs. USC money line: Penn State -218, USC +175
- Penn State vs. USC picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Penn State vs. USC streaming: Paramount+ (Get seven days free)
Why Penn State can cover
James Franklin’s squad is extremely balanced on paper. The Nittany Lions rank fourth in the Big Ten in scoring (34.4 PPG) and third in scoring defense (11.4 PPG). They have beaten all three Power 4 opponents by at least 16 points, so handling a one-score spread against a USC team that is struggling right now feels very doable.
Penn State was without star running back Nicholas Singleton in the win over UCLA last week. Franklin, however, told reporters on Monday that he expects him to play in Week 7. He’s averaged 7.7 yards per carry this season and his presence would be a huge boost for Penn State against a USC squad that is ranked 17th in the Big Ten in rushing defense. See picks at SportsLine.
Why USC can cover
Though Penn State is undefeated, the Nittany Lions had a close call against Bowling Green, a MAC squad, in Week 2, surviving 34-27. They also weren’t overly impressive against UCLA, one of worst teams in the Big Ten, in Week 6, letting the Bruins stick around until late in the third quarter.
USC’s two losses have come on the road and now they’re getting nearly a touchdown at home after the lookahead lines had USC around +1.5. Overall, USC’s defense looks a lot better this year compared to 2023 and Riley’s offense, while not clicking on all cylinders, is still averaging more than 30 points per game thus far. See picks at SportsLine.
How to make USC vs. Penn State picks
SportsLine’s model is going Over on the total, projecting 57 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations. You can see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Penn State vs. USC, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up well over $2,000 on top-rated spread picks since its inception, and find out, and don’t forget to stream the game on Paramount+.
