Once a year, college football gets away with having the premier game of the day on a Sunday.
USC and LSU are both led by illustrious coaches in their third year at the helm, who are scrambling to elevate their programs to the next level while replacing their Heisman-winning quarterbacks.
Which school will start its season with a signature win?
SHOWDOWN STRATEGY
Captain’s Pick
Zachariah Branch ($13,200) – Crafted from the Percy Harvin/Tavon Austin mold, Zachariah Branch is the most electrifying player in the country with the ball in his hands. As a freshman, he was primarily a gadget guy struggling to break through a loaded receiver room. Branch should see a severe uptick in volume starting in the slot in his second season with the Trojans. Being the first game of the season, I expect Lincoln Riley to scheme ways to get his playmaker the rock as much as possible. The fact he’s a phenomenal returner on special teams puts him over the edge.
Flex Plays
Miller Moss ($10,800) – Caleb Williams’ successor is redshirt junior Miller Moss. During his limited college snaps, the pure pocket passer has shined, including a dominant performance in the Holiday Bowl against a talented Louisville Cardinals side. With one of the smoothest releases you’ll see and an ideal frame to match, Moss is the latest in a long lineage of spectacular signal callers under Riley. Outside of blue-chip prospect Harold Perkins Jr., the Tigers’ defense is shaky at best. Moss being at the controls of this juggernaut offense makes him a must-play.
Josh Williams ($7,400) – The LSU tailback enters his sixth season as one of the only holdovers from the 2019 National Title squad. Despite his long tenure, Williams has struggled to make a consistent impact. He’s never surpassed 60 carries in a season and has just over 1,000 yards in his career on the ground. Brian Kelly has always loved to run the ball, and it’s hard to imagine Williams returning to school if he wasn’t in the team’s plans. I’m banking on volume and a shaky USC defensive front.
Woody Marks ($5,600) – During his four years at Mississippi, Woody Marks was a talented scatback who could move the chains. The redshirt senior is a pass-catching specialist who is deadly in the open field. Because it’s Moss’ first significant start, Marks should act as a security blanket underneath. He will split some time with Quinten Joyner, but Marks is a more natural fit for the Trojan’s air raid-esque offense.
CJ Daniels ($8,200) – Without Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., LSU is looking to replace historic production on the outside. CJ Daniels comes in from Liberty, where he is coming off a 1,000-yard season where he snagged ten touchdowns. It’s concerning that someone who has spent his entire career in Conference USA is now thrust into being the top receiver for a perennial power. Still, Daniels has the physical makeup to succeed at the highest level. Against a completely rebuilt Trojan secondary, the fifth-year player will leave his mark.
Zavion Thomas ($4,000) – With limited money to work with, I decided to take a flier on big-play threat Zavion Thomas. With legit track speed and a year in the system, Thomas enters his second year on the Tigers buried on the initial depth chart. With Chris Hilton Jr. coming into the game banged up, Thomas should see action as the team’s wide receiver three.
The Outcome
No team last season was held back more from the below-average line-of-scrimmage play than USC. The departure of former defensive coordinator Alex Grinch and a talented transfer portal class on that side of the ball should dramatically transform this team. The Trojans won’t have a great defense, but one that tackles consistently will be a massive upgrade. Pair that with a loaded offense, which should resemble the Oklahoma groups that put Riley on the map.
LSU likely lost too many crucial pieces from a year ago to be a serious contender. Stylistically, this is a tough matchup, and I don’t think their offense can hang.
Final Score: USC 38, LSU 28
Set your DraftKings fantasy lineups here: CFB Showdown $150K Showdown of the Week [$50K to 1st] (USC @ LSU)
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
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