The USC Trojans and the Washington Huskies face off in a Big 10 battle in college football Week 5. The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday in Los Angeles, California.
The Trojans are listed as 8.5-point home favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at O/U 58.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and best bet for this matchup.
USC vs. Washington Prediction, Preview
Washington Preview
It has been a rough start to the season for Washington, despite their 3-1 record. The Huskies played a weak non-conference schedule, and still barely escaped an upset against Utah State. Washington started Big 10 play with a home game against Minnesota and got upset. That was one of the most winnable conference games on the schedule for the Huskies, and now things are looking tough moving forward. Demond Williams has not progressed the way many hoped he would under Jedd Fisch. The lack of offensive weapons he has to work with since the departure of Denzel Boston and Jonah Coleman to last year’s NFL Draft only makes things worse. This is a team that could fall apart in conference play this season.
USC Preview
USC is coming off an emotional loss to Oregon. Between the late hit on Dante Moore, the antics that followed, and some comments from players and staff, vibes are not great at Southern Cal at the moment. However, this game against Washington gives the Trojans a chance to reset and get back to winning ways before a big road game at Penn State next week. Jayden Maiava has been one of the best quarterbacks in college football this season, and this offense is still firing on all cylinders. There are clear defensive issues for the Trojans, and almost every game they play against a competent team will likely be a shootout. However, Gary Patterson will keep working to try to get that unit up to snuff for a College Football Playoff push.
USC vs. Washington Pick, Best Bet
My best bet for this game is for USC to cover as 8.5-point favorites. All of the dramatics around the Oregon loss made it seem like a worse loss for USC, but realistically, Oregon is one of the most talented teams in the country. If the Ducks get their season back on track, that won’t look like a bad loss at the end of the season. The Trojans still have problems on defense, but they will have enough offense to beat almost any team in the Big 10 this season.
Jayden Maiava leads the nation in passing yards and passing touchdowns this season. USC ranks third in the nation in offensive success rate and in offensive EPA/drive. They should be able to hang a big number at home against Washington, who struggled when finally facing a real offense last week.
Meanwhile, the Washington offense is dreadful. They rank 106th in the nation in offensive EPA/drive. They do not have the weapons to take advantage of the cracks in the USC defense. The Trojans should keep them in check, and Demond Williams will make mistakes if he is forced to push it downfield to keep up with the USC offense. USC should win this one by double digits.
