Fresno State at USC (Friday – 9pm ET)
We got a look at the Trojans in Week 0, and while they were in constant control against San Jose State, the win wasn’t as dominant as you’d like to see. With a spread floating between 37 and 40, USC managed just 42 points. The defense that many hoped would be fixed by Gary Patterson was still shaky, giving up 26 points to the Spartans — 23 in the fourth quarter.
If USC doesn’t up its game heading into Week 1, Fresno State could be able to give it a game. The stadium was embarrassingly empty for the season opener, and the Los Angeles crowd may opt for other plans on a Friday night again. USC plays on a quick turnaround here, and the Bulldogs have some Week 0 tape to study entering this matchup.
The Trojans should score points once again, but Fresno projects as one of the top defenses in the PAC-12, and can likely provide more resistance than San Jose State. The Bulldogs return 13 starters from a solid 9-4 team in 2025, and are a trendy pick to surprise in the PAC-12 this season.
Fresno slowed the pace in 2025, with a strong run game that was effective and helped the defense as well. Many of those key pieces are back, with an experienced RB room and veteran offensive line. I’m not calling for the upset here, but Fresno’s style of play, along with just enough talent, should keep them at least within three touchdowns here. This one was sitting 23.5 prior to Week 0 and is starting to get bet down. I’ll grab the points with the Bulldogs while it’s still on the right side of 21.
CFB Pick: Fresno State +22.5 (-108)
