LSU vs. USC prediction, odds, spread, line, start time: 2024 college football picks, best bets by top expert

The No. 23 USC Trojans and the No. 13 LSU Tigers take center stage on Sunday when they meet in the 2024 Vegas Kickoff Classic game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. USC is looking to start the post-Caleb Williams era with a bang after going 8-5 in 2023. The Trojans will be led by junior quarterback Miller Moss and will feature an overhauled defensive coaching staff. Garrett Nussmeier is set to take over for 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels for LSU. The Tigers went 10-3 last year, but enter the 2024 season with their sights set on the College Football Playoff.

Kickoff from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. The Tigers are favored by 4.5 points in the latest USC vs. LSU odds, while the over/under is 64.5 points per SportsLine consensus. Before making any LSU vs. USC picks, you need to see the Week 1 college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's Jimmie Kaylor .

Kaylor is an NFL, college football and DFS expert for SportsLine, who has covered the NFL and college football for close to a decade as a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. His background as a former college football All-American and NFL player gives him a unique perspective when building his fantasy lineups and locking in his betting picks. He has his finger on the pulse of the college football landscape and has been cashing in big for the last two years.

Kaylor destroyed the books in college football in 2023, netting a whopping 57.9 units while posting a 107-45-2 record. Anyone who followed his picks finished the season way up.

Now, Kaylor has dialed in on USC vs. LSU and just revealed his picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks . Here are the college football odds and betting lines on the spread , money line and over/under for LSU vs. USC:

• USC vs. LSU spread: LSU -4.5
• USC vs. LSU over/under: 64.5 points
• USC vs. LSU money line: LSU -183, USC +151
• USC vs. LSU picks: See picks at SportsLine
  

Why USC can cover

The Trojans will have a vastly different look on the defensive side of the ball with D'Anton Lynn taking over as defensive coordinator and Matt Entz taking over as linebackers coach and assistant head coach for defense. Lynn comes over from UCLA , where he built one of the top defensive units in the now-defunct Pac-12. Entz was the head coach at FCS powerhouse North Dakota State in 2023.

USC also projects to be dynamic on the offensive side once again in 2024. Miller Moss takes over at quarterback, and his experience in Lincoln Riley's offense should result in a smooth transition. In his lone start of the 2023 season, Moss threw for 372 yards and six touchdowns in USC's Holiday Bowl win over Louisville . See which team to pick here .

Why LSU can cover

The Tigers have to replace Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., but the fact that they return four starting offensive linemen and their starting tight end will help ease the transition. Kyren Lacy flashed the explosiveness and playmaking ability in 2023 that have many believing he will be the next great LSU wide receiver. Lacy finished last season with 30 receptions for 558 yards and seven touchdowns.

Defensively, the Tigers will be led by new defensive coordinator Blake Baker . LSU was uncharacteristically bad on the defensive side of the ball, ranking near the bottom of the SEC in both run and pass defense. Improving on this side was an offseason priority for LSU, and the Tigers have the talent to be a vastly improved defensive team in 2024. See which team to pick here .

How to make USC vs. LSU picks

Kaylor has analyzed LSU vs. USC from every angle and he's leaning Over on the point total. He has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He's only sharing what it is, and which side to back, at SportsLine .

So who wins USC vs. LSU in the Kickoff Classic game in Las Vegas on Sunday, and what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the expert who profited $5,790 for $100 college football bettors in 2023 , and find out.