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Sunday night offers a tantalizing matchup in a nationally televised game on ABC between USC and LSU on a neutral field at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. LSU is ranked 13th in the AP Poll and 12th in the AFCA Coaches Poll while USC is ranked 23rd in both polls. With both coaches coming off disappointing 2023 seasons, this season-opening matchup is going to be critical.

USC Trojans vs. LSU Tigers Odds

• USC Trojans +4 (-110) vs. LSU Tigers -4 (-110)
• USC Trojans (+154) vs. LSU Tigers (-185)
• Over 66.5 Points (-110) vs. Under 66.5 Points (-110)

USC Trojans vs. LSU Tigers Match Details

• Fixture: USC Trojans vs. LSU Tigers
• Date and Time: Sept. 1, 7:30 p.m. EDT
• Location: Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada

Key Stats

USC Trojans

The USC Trojans lost its star quarterback Caleb Williams to the NFL Draft as he was the first-overall pick by the Chicago Bears. However, the Trojans had a surprising performance from promising replacement Miller Moss in the Holiday Bowl. Moss was 23-of-33 with a Holiday Bowl record of six touchdowns and one interception in USC’s 42-28 win over Louisville. USC averaged 41.7 points per game last year and is looking for similar numbers this year.

Coach Lincoln Riley expects the team to improve on last year’s 8-5 season record from a year ago. Riley added former UCLA Defensive Coordinator D’Anton Lynn to the same coaching position for the Trojans. USC allowed 34.38 points per game last season. The Trojans have three returning starters on offense and four on defense.

LSU Tigers

Garrett Nussmeier replaces LSU Tigers Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels, who was the second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Washington Commanders. LSU and coach Brian Kelly also lost the team's two best wide receivers to the NFL but promoted quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan to offensive coordinator. LSU had the NCAA’s best offense with an average of 45.5 points per game and finished 10-3.

LSU also added former Missouri defensive coordinator Blake Baker to help improve on last year’s averages of 28 points and 416.6 yards allowed per game. An experienced linebacking corps and six returning starters on defense should help provide defensive stability. LSU also returns six starters on offense and is vying for a spot in the 12-team playoff.

Prediction

USC is 21-1 straight up in the team’s last 22 games on Week One, but often against overmatched opponents. LSU has gone over the total in 16 of its last 17 games and over the total in 14 of its last 15 games when the Bayou Bengals are favored to win. Both teams are likely to score big numbers for the season while working on improving their respective defenses.

There's no home-field advantage for either team, although Las Vegas is just a four-hour drive from Los Angeles. LSU, though, travels well and brings a lot of fans to neutral fields. The season-opening matchup with kickoff scheduled at 7:30 p.m. EDT and 4:30 p.m. PDT Sunday likely will negate USC’s season-opening trend for straight-up wins. The Trojans' potent offense and LSU’s trend toward topping the total should make the over a strong wager. So bet over 66.5 combined points scored for the game.

Final Pick

Over 66.5 (-110)

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Article originally written by Mike Heuer