USC at Minnesota odds, picks and predictions

The Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-3, 0-2 Big Ten) welcome the No. 15 USC Trojans (3-1, 1-1) to Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis Saturday. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET (BTN). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s college football odds around the USC vs. Minnesota odds, and make our expert college football picks and predictions.

USC is No. 15 in the US LBM Coaches Poll. It beat No. 12 LSU 27-20 on a neutral field in its first game of the season, covering as a 4-point underdog. The Trojans are coming off a 38-21 win over the Wisconsin Badgers at home, a week after picking up their first loss in a 27-24 defeat to No. 10 Michigan. USC is 3-1 straight up and 3-1 against the spread (ATS) this season.

The Golden Gophers lost at home to UNC 19-17 to kick off the season, closing as a 2-point underdog. They won their next 2 but are coming off back-to-back losses, the former to the Iowa Hawkeyes by 17 and the latter to Michigan by 3. They are 3-1-1 ATS on the season and are 1-1-1 ATS as an underdog.

– Rankings: US LBM Coaches Poll, conducted by the American Football Coaches Association and USA TODAY Sports

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USC at Minnesota odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of college football odds. Lines last updated at 10:45 a.m. ET.

• Moneyline (ML): USC -300 (bet $300 to win $100) | Minnesota +250 (bet $100 to win $250)
• Against the spread (ATS): USC -8.5 (-105) | Minnesota +8.5 (-115)
• Over/Under (O/U): 47.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

USC at Minnesota picks and predictions

Prediction

USC 31, Minnesota 24

PASS.

The Trojans are a rightful favorite, and they should come out on top. However, playing them to win outright is too expensive to consider. Avoid playing the 2-3 Golden Gophers to pull off the upset as well.

BET MINNESOTA +8.5 (-115).

USC, through 4 games, doesn’t have a player with more than 350 rushing yards. It is a passing-heavy side, and it will be taking on a Golden Gophers side that has the 4th-lowest opponents average team passer rating. They’re going to be able to limit the USC offense to some degree.

Minnesota is 2-1-1 ATS at home this season as well. The Trojans are 0-1 ATS on the road and have allowed at least 21 points in 3 of 4 games this season while topping 27 in just 2 of 4. Couple it altogether and expect a reasonable close game.

Back MINNESOTA +8.5 (-115).

BET OVER 47.5 (-110).

This will be the 2nd-lowest total of the season for the Trojans, and they are 2-0 O/U in games that have a total of 55 or under. USC has tallied 31 points per game in its last 2 as well. It is 2-0 O/U in conference games.

Minnesota is also 2-0 O/U in conference games and 2-1 O/U against Power 5 opponents. The Golden Gophers have tallied at least 24 points in 3 of their last 4. With those trends in mind, back OVER 47.5 (-110).

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