College Basketball Predictions. Pac-12 Picks, Lines For Saturday, February 25

Pac-12 college basketball predictions, lines, how to watch for Saturday, February 25

College basketball predictions and lines for every Pac-12 game on Saturday, February 25


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How have the college basketball picks been so far?
Top 25: Straight Up 117-27, ATS 87-56-1, O/U 84-60
Overall: Straight Up 674-299, ATS 557-407-6, O/U  541-425-4

Saturday College Basketball Predictions
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
American Athletic, Big East, Mountain West
CFN College Basketball Rankings top 68
Latest NCAA Tournament Bracket Predictions

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Arizona State at Arizona Prediction

Game Time: 2:00 ET
How To Watch: CBS
Prediction: Arizona 78, Arizona State 65
Line: Arizona -12, o/u: 151.5

Washington State at Cal Prediction

Game Time: 6:00 ET
How To Watch: Pac-12 Network
Prediction: Washington State 69, Cal 62
Line: Washington State -11.5, o/u: 125

USC at Utah Prediction

Game Time: 8:00 ET
How To Watch: ESPNU
Prediction: Utah 75, USC 72
Line: USC -2, o/u: 140.5

Oregon at Oregon State Prediction

Game Time: 10:00 ET
How To Watch: Pac-12 Network
Prediction: Oregon 66, Oregon State 58
Line: Oregon -8.5, o/u: 129

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Texas, Oklahoma to SEC in 2024, USC, UCLA to Big Ten. What’s Next For Expansion? Daily Cavalcade

Texas and Oklahoma are off to the SEC in 2024, and USC and UCLA are set to go to the Big Ten. So what’s next for college expansion?

It’s official. Texas and Oklahoma are off to the SEC in 2024, and USC and UCLA are off to the Big Ten. What’s next for college expansion?


Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC in 2024, USC and UCLA to the Big Ten. What’s Next?

Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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Sorry if this take sucks, it’s not my fault …

I still haven’t received the $100 million exit fee from Texas and Oklahoma to leave this column in 2024.

2023 College Football Rankings 1-133 First Look

Oh big deal. Like you watched the random Big 12 matchup when Texas or Oklahoma played, say, Baylor, and you don’t even know the Pac-12 Network exists.

USC and UCLA are going to be in the Big Ten in 2024?

Texas and Oklahoma are going to be in the SEC in 2024?

Great. Let’s do this already. Let’s get this party started.

I still don’t get how Texas and the Big Ten didn’t pop open a few beers, sit down, and figure it all out, but now it’s official. The Pac-12 and Big 12 are losing the anchor tenants at their respective malls.

In the new world of an expanded College Football Playoff that’s coming, the moves make sense. Progress is okay, and in this case, it’s all going to work great with the timing.

Do I think Texas will win the SEC Championship any time in the near future? Not really. That goes for Oklahoma, too. Whatever.

Either one could finish in the top 11 in the final 2024 College Football Playoff top 25 – the expanded CFP will take the top 12 ranked teams, but one of those will be a Group of Five champ that will probably be ranked outside of the top 12.

That goes for USC and UCLA with the Big Ten – just finish in the top 11, and football-wise and you’re all set.

All of them are all set in terms of revenue and even more explosion. And as I keep telling everyone over and over and over again, it’s going to be okay.

But the travel!

Whatever. The Big Ten teams get on a plane, take a nap, watch a movie, and they’re in LA. We should all be so lucky.

But the tradition!

Oklahoma was a Big 8 team in 1995 before the expansion to what eventually became the Big 12, and Texas was in the Southwest Conference until 1996.

USC and UCLA used to play in the Pac-10. Before that it was the Pac-8. And before that they were a part of the unfortunately-named American Association of Western Universities until 1968.

And everyone was fine. Everyone is going to be fine. It will take you 30 seconds after the ball gets kicked off to adjust.

What’s Next For College Expansion?

GAME … ON.

The Pac-12 has to do something fast, the Big 12 is circling the area looking to pick off more schools, and the Big Ten and SEC and drop the hammer and get just about anyone they really want at any time.

San Diego State. Get ready to be Southern California’s Pac-12 representation.

SMU. I honestly don’t understand why the Pac-12 is pitching so much woo to you – enrollment too small, it’s not like it’s a gateway school to landing more Texas-based teams – but apparently that’s about to be a thing.

UNLV should’ve been a Pac-12 school yesterday, and the Big 12 would be brilliant to go in and totally screw up the Pac-12 by getting there first.

All’s quiet on the Arizona and Arizona State front, but they’re well past ripe for the picking if the Pac-12 doesn’t lock down its media deal fast.

I’m screaming expansion malpractice on the SEC for not following the Big Ten’s move to the coast and not at least floating a three-bus sized public relations rumor about being interested in Oregon and Washington. (And that goes for the Big Ten, too, but it’s better at doing its thing in stealth mode.)

The Big 12 is insane for not grabbing USF to go along with the acquisition of UCF.

The Big Ten is even crazier for not getting Kansas already. And Colorado.

The SEC is nuts for not ponying up some of its cash to pay off whatever is needed for Clemson and/or Florida State to get out of their ACC deal.

That goes triple for North Carolina. That’s the one. That’s the dream of a whale everyone would love to land.

And then there’s the ACC. It had better find a way to put a ring on it and end this friends with benefits thing with Notre Dame as soon as possible, because once the lawyers and money men from other conferences figure out a way to pry the league’s members from the Grant of Rights deal …

But that’s what the rest of the offseason is for. For now, Texas and Oklahoma are going to be in the SEC after this season, and USC and UCLA are going to be in the Big Ten.

And you’re going to have fun watching it all. Really.

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USC Football Schedule 2023: Analysis, Breakdown, 3 Things To Know

USC football schedule 2023. Analysis, breakdown, 3 things to know

USC football schedule 2023: Who do the Trojans miss on the Pac-12 schedule and what are 3 things to know?


USC Football Schedule 2023: 3 Things To Know

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Aug 26 San Jose State

Sept 2 Nevada

Sept 9 Stanford

Sept 16 OPEN DATE

Sept 23 at Arizona State

Sept 30 at Colorado

Oct 7 Arizona

Oct 14 at Notre Dame

Oct 21 Utah

Oct 28 at Cal

Nov 4 Washington

Nov 11 at Oregon

Nov 18 UCLA

Nov 25 OPEN DATE

2023 College Football Rankings 1-133: First Look

USC Football Schedule What To Know: Who do the Trojans miss from the Pac-12 slate?

In one of the more unfortunate scheduling quirks of of 2022, USC was able to miss both Oregon and Washington. That was a huge part of the puzzle to get the Trojans within a hamstring of the College Football Playoff.

The two other big boys are back on the slate now in back-to-back weeks in November. That stinks, but missing both Oregon State – who was a nasty out in 2022 – and Washington State isn’t a bad deal.

USC Football Schedule What Really Matters

Yeah, having Oregon and Washington back on the schedule is a big deal, but … boo hoo. If USC really is improved enough defensively to be back in the Pac-12 Championship and CFP mix, there’s no real problem with the conference slate.

There are only four Pac-12 road games and five away dates overall. Washington has to come to LA, UCLA has to make the trip down the road, and best of all, Utah is a home game. Three of the conference road games against Cal, Arizona State, and Colorado are about as manageable as they get. The date at Oregon isn’t.

USC Football Schedule What To Know: What does it all really mean?

San Jose State, Nevada, Stanford, a week off, at Arizona State, at Colorado, Arizona. That means USC plays one team that went bowling in 2022 before the middle of October, and San Jose State is hardly anything to get into a twist over.

However, there’s a run of three road games in four weeks, and the end of the fun is Notre Dame. The finishing kick is rough with that date against the Irish, Utah, at Cal, Washington, at Oregon, UCLA, but is USC is that good, getting back to the Pac-12 Championship at 11-1 is possible.

With Washington and Oregon back in the mix, though – along with the road game at Notre Dame – it might not be probable.

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2023 College Football Schedules: All 131 Teams

College Football Expert Picks Predictions: January 2 Bowls

College Football Expert picks and predictions for the January 2nd bowl games

College football expert picks, predictions: January 2nd bowl games: Illinois vs Mississippi State, Tulane vs USC, LSU vs Purdue, Penn State vs Utah


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* next to the pick means the team will win, but not cover.
Click on each game for the game preview and CFN Prediction

Bowl Game College Football Expert Picks 
ReliaQuest Miss State vs Illinois | Cotton Tulane vs USC
Citrus Purdue vs LSU | Rose Penn State vs Utah
Bowl Scoreboard, Recaps

Mississippi State vs Illinois

ReliaQuest Bowl

Line: Mississippi State -3, o/u: 46

Eric Bolin, RazorbacksWire.com: Illinois
Evan Bredeson, CornhuskersWire.com: Mississippi State
Tony Cosolo, ColoradoBuffaloesWire.com: Illinois
Jeff Feyerer, CFN: Mississippi State
Pete Fiutak, CFN: Illinois
Cami Griffin, LonghornsWire.com: Illinois
Dan Harralson, VolsWire.com: Mississippi State
Phil Harrison, BuckeyesWire.com: Mississippi State
Jeremy Mauss, MWwire.com Mississippi State
Kevin McGuire, NittanyLionsWire.com: Illinois
Big Game Ben Niewoehner, CFN Mississippi State
E, CFN Illinois
Tyler Nettuno, LSUTigerswire.com Illinois
Zack Pearson, TarHeelswire.com Mississippi State
Johnny Rosenstein, SportsBookWire.com: Illinois
Nick Shepkowski, FightingIrishWire.com: Illinois
Scott Steehn, WinnersandWhiners.com: Illinois
Joe Vitale, UGAWire.com: Mississippi State
Clucko the Chicken (a coin flip), CFN: Mississippi State
CONSENSUS PICK: Mississippi State 

Bowl Game College Football Expert Picks 
ReliaQuest Miss State vs Illinois | Cotton Tulane vs USC
Citrus Purdue vs LSU | Rose Penn State vs Utah
Bowl Scoreboard, Recaps

NEXT: Tulane vs USC Expert Picks Predictions

USC vs Tulane Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Prediction Game Preview Odds TV

USC vs Tulane game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on Monday, January 2, 2023

USC vs Tulane prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch. Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Monday, January 2, 2023


USC vs Tulane Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Prediction Game Preview

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USC vs Tulane How To Watch

Date: Monday, January 2, 2023
Game Time: 1:00 ET
Venue: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
How To Watch: ESPN
Record: USC (11-2), Tulane (11-2)
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USC vs Tulane Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic 5 Things To Know

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

Let’s put it this way. If you were to tell USC fans 12 months ago that their program that went 4-8 in 2021 was about to have a “disappointing” 11-2 season – complete with a Heisman-winning quarterback and a trip to the Sugar Bowl – you don’t think they’d have taken it in a heartbeat?

Yeah, it would’ve been great if Caleb Williams didn’t injure his hamstring in the Pac-12 Championship, but he did, the USC defense turned into wet tissue paper, and the team biffed its chance to make the College Football Playoff. But Lincoln Riley’s first year at the helm was a massive success, and it’s all just getting started.

Cincinnati was coming off a year in the College Football Playoff. UCF had all the talent in place to make its own run to a possible playoff spot, and Houston was everyone’s darling with a loaded team returning. There wasn’t anyone from the Group of Five going into the CFP, and the Bearcats, Knights, and Cougars are all preparing for life in the Big 12 next year.

Meanwhile, all Tulane did was go win the American Athletic Conference with the program’s first double-digit win season since 1998. If you think USC was a shocker, Tulane was coming off a 2-10 campaign and came up with its first winning season in three years. That, and …

Tulane hasn’t been to a bowl this big since losing the 1939 season’s Rose Bowl. Under Fritz this is the program’s fourth bowl game in five years – it went 2-1 in the first three. This is the chance to establish itself as the Group of Five’s biggest power going forward after the latest round of realignment kicks in next year.

USC has been a relative dud lately on the bowl circuit. It hadn’t been in one of these things since 2019, and it hasn’t won once since the 2016 season’s Rose. After going 9-2 in bowls after Pete Carroll’s first year, the program is 1-3 in them. And for Riley, this is his chance to win his second bowl game in four tries. His first was part of the reason why …

The Cotton Bowl is in need of a good game. Riley’s Sooners destroyed a bunch of Florida uniforms in a 55-20 Sugar in 2020. Last year Alabama went through the polite motions and disposed of Cincinnati in the College Football Playoff. In 2019 Penn State and Memphis put on a show – a 53-39 Penn State win – but that was part of a rough run of seven straight Cottons – and 14 of the last 15 – decided by eight points or more.

CFN Experts Picks: Jan 2 Bowls

Why Tulane Will Win The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

Here comes the Green Wave running game.

The offense is balanced with a strong passing attack for a Willie Fritz attack, but everything rocks when the ground game is rolling.

Tulane has been brilliant at being able to adapt and adjust on the fly, but it won the American Athletic Conference championship with 254 rushing yards against UCF averaging over eight yards per pop, and averages close to 200 yards rushing yards per game.

Time of possession doesn’t mean all that much to the Green Wave, but with the best defense in the AAC in points allowed and third down stops, the more the ground game rumbles, the more everything else works with this team.

And again, there’s a passing game. Tulane and QB Michael Pratt lead the AAC in passing efficiency.

And then there’s the USC run defense.

It got run over by Utah in the Pac-12 Championship, allowed 4.7 yards per carry, and can be moved on in chunks. But …

Top 100 Bowl Players | Ranking Bowl Games So Far

Why USC Will Win The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

This is a BIG assumption that Caleb Williams will give it a go even with his banged up hamstring. (We’ll try to change this whole thing fast if he’s not able to play at the last second.)

He’s missing star WR Jordan Addison, and his offensive line isn’t intact, but the big play ability should still be there with the other weapons returning.

Tulane might have a terrific defense, but Houston’s passing game was okay, East Carolina pushed for close to 300 yards, and Memphis and SMU were able to bomb away on the secondary.

USC might not be smooth, but it’ll hit a few home runs.

On the other side, no, the defense hasn’t been anything great, but it’s masterful at taking the ball away. The definition of bending a whole lot without breaking, USC has forced two or more takeaways seven times with 29 on the year.

Tulane doesn’t have a massive turnover issue, but it lost the first time around against UCF when giving it away twice and …

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

NEXT: What’s Going To Happen, USC vs Tulane Prediction, Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic History

Utah Wins Pac-12 Championship Over USC: What This Means For College Football Playoff

5 things Utah’s win over USC in the Pac-12 Championship means for the College Football Playoff

Utah rocked USC 47-24 to win the Pac-12 Championship. What does this all mean for the College Football Playoff?


Utah 47, USC 24: What This Means For The College Football Playoff

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5. USC is out of the College Football Playoff

There’s a chance the College Football Playoff committee really did do its homework on USC. Maybe it decides it’s not fair to punish a team for playing a conference championship, while some other team that finished its season getting rocked by its rival got to spend its Saturday holiday shopping.

The committee can’t complain about the USC defense. It gave up 562 yards to Utah in the first meeting – a 43-42 Ute win – and gave up 400 yards or more six times in the final seven games. The bad D cake was baked when USC was ranked fourth in the penultimate rankings.

Maybe the committee figures that out, and maybe it goes a step further and projects that USC really is one of the four best teams in college football once Caleb Williams’ leg heals a month from now.

Nah. Going off of past CFP ranking precedent, USC will likely drop below Utah, who could rise up as high as 6 but will probably settle in at 7.

4. Utah is going to the Rose Bowl

That’s two years in a row for Utah going to the Rose Bowl as the Pac-12 Champion. Don’t discount what a massive deal that is for a program that’s still the new guy on the block after moving over from the Mountain West in 2011.

That sets off a chain of major bowl things.

The win almost certainly puts Ohio State in the College Football Playoff. It also pushed out Washington, who likely would’ve gone to Pasadena with a USC Pac-12 Championship win. That means Penn State will almost certainly slide on into the open spot as the best available Big Ten team.

That all means USC will probably go to the Cotton to face the Tulane/UCF winner.

All of that means Ohio State won’t go to the Orange Bowl, which means Tennessee – or possibly Alabama – will end up playing the ACC champion. With an SEC team in and a Big Ten team out, that pushes down Notre Dame in the bowl chain thanks to a slew of procedural things.

Got all of that? It’s all spelled out easier here … Bowl Projections: Updated After Utah’s Pac-12 Championship Win

3. TCU is almost certainly locked into the College Football Playoff no matter what

This could all change if Kansas State beats TCU 55-3 – or just dominates in the win – but according to College Football Playoff tradition and precedent, it’s going to be hard to kick out a 12-1 team for a two-loss team that didn’t win its conference championship – like Alabama or USC.

Utah would be more in the discussion if it lost twice, but it’s not getting in with three losses. Clemson might have a shot of getting a whole lot closer than you think in the final rankings – like 5 – with an ACC Championship win over North Carolina, but the two losses are too much to overcome.

Had USC won, it would’ve been in no matter what as a 12-1 Power Five conference champion. If TCU loses and gets destroyed, then the debate would’ve been with Ohio State for that fourth spot. With USC losing, that solves the problem.

Could two-loss Alabama get in over as 12-1 TCU that loses the Big 12 Championship? Nah, because …

2. Remember, no two-loss team has ever made the College Football Playoff

2017 Auburn would’ve had the best shot of breaking through this ceiling.

It lost two games, but it beat Alabama. Had it beaten Georgia for the SEC Championship, it would’ve been a tough theoretical lift to put in the Dawgs and Tide over the Tigers – Georgia was 3, Alabama 4 in the final rankings after Auburn lost the SEC Championship.

That year Ohio State had a beef, too. It was 11-2 with a Big Ten championship, closing out with a win over a previously unbeaten Wisconsin. However, an 11-1 Alabama team that didn’t win its own division got in.

In 2016, Penn State beat Ohio State 24-21, but it lost two games earlier in the season. It went on to win the Big Ten Championship to finish 11-2 with a Power Five championship. 11-1 Ohio State not only got in instead, it was the 3 seed.

Eight years, 32 College Football Playoff spots. Not one team has ever been in with more than one loss.

This year? No matter what, there will be four teams with no more than one loss. That means …

1. Ohio State, your table is ready

Everyone will be dogging the idea of Ohio State getting in without playing that one tough extra game that USC did – and everyone might be right.

However, Ohio State is still the only team in college football to start 11-0 winning every game by double-digits.

It beat Notre Dame. It hung 77 on a Toledo team playing in the MAC Championship. It put up 54 on Iowa, 44 on Penn State, and ended up scoring 43 points against nine of those first 11 games except for the 21-10 win over the Irish and a 21-7 win over Northwestern in crazy weather conditions.

It’s one sin was a 45-23 pasting at home by Michigan.

If Michigan had been 9-3 – like Utah was going into the Pac-12 Championship – that might be a deathblow.

If Clemson hadn’t blown it against South Carolina and could pull off an ACC Championship at 12-1, it would’ve been in instead.

Had Tennessee not gacked in a blowout over South Carolina and finished 11-1, it would’ve had a better resumé than Ohio State.

If Michigan really is the No. 2 team in the country – or maybe No. 1 with a Big Ten Championship win and a Georgia loss – then theoretically, Ohio State might be No. 3.

No matter how it happened, it’s one of the four remaining teams without at least two losses. Thanks to Utah, Ohio State will almost certainly get its shot.

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Predictions of Every Game | Bowl Projections

USC vs Utah Pac-12 Championship Prediction Game Preview

USC vs Utah Pac-12 Championship game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Pac-12 Championship Week game on Friday, December 2

USC vs Utah Pac-12 Championship prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch. Championship Week, Friday, December 2


USC vs Utah Pac-12 Championship Prediction Game Preview

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USC vs Utah Pac-12 Championship How To Watch

Date: Friday, December 2
Game Time: 8:00 ET
Venue: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
How To Watch: FOX
Record: USC (11-1), Utah (9-3)
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Why Utah Will Win

How did the Utes do it the first time around?

They got down big early, rallied back, and rallied again with Cameron Rising running for a touchdown and the two in the final minute to beat USC 43-42 in one of the best games of the college football season.

The running game is going to continue to be a problem for the Trojans. They held up relatively well, but allowed over four yards per carry to go along with the 424 yards from Rising.

The Utah offense should be good for at least 400 yards – even if it doesn’t get to the 562 that were the most allowed by the Trojans all year – with the versatility to do whatever it wants.

Defensively, the Utes haven’t allowed more than 70 rushing yards in four of the last five games, and USC doesn’t have Travis Dye, who led the way with 76 yards in the first meeting.

Let Caleb Williams get his yards, accept that there will be a few explosive plays, and then let the offense do the work. Every third down stop and every empty USC possession will mean everything.

The pressure is ALL on the other side of the field. Utah is in the Rose Bowl with a win, and it’s probably in the Alamo if it loses. On the other side, USC has the College Football Playoff right there for the taking.

Bowl Projections | Bowl Bubble: Who’s Bowl Eligible?

Why USC Will Win

USC had them.

It got up fast on Utah, got up late, and it couldn’t hang on against a strong team in one of the tougher environments in college football.

But it was on the road.

Utah managed to beat Washington State, but it’s 1-3 this year away from Salt Lake City against teams that finished with a winning record after going 1-4 last year against the good opponents that didn’t come to Rice-Eccles.

Yeah, that one win last year was over Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship, but the Utes had that team’s number. USC has a much, much better quarterback situation and even more firepower.

It’s not like Utah stopped the Trojan attack that rolled up 556 yards of total offense. It came up big when it had to, but Caleb Williams got off that field thinking he let one slip away.

There’s a reason he’s – probably – about to win the Heisman Trophy. Over the last three weeks he’s hitting even bigger shots down the field, he has been even more accurate, and he took his game up a few notches in the biggest games of the year. He’s handled the stress fine so far.

Yeah, the pressure is on, but there’s a way to tone that down – rely on the run defense.

The USC D might have been pounded on earlier in the year, and UCLA cranked up 204 yards, but the defense held up better over the last month, it rose up against the Notre Dame running game, and …

Championship Week Schedule, Game Previews

What’s Going To Happen

Utah is going to get its yards.

The USC defensive front seemed to accept the challenge of the moment last week, but the secondary has crashed allowing over 300 yards in five of the last six games.

However, the D continues to make up for its issues with lots and lots of takeaways. The five saved the day against UCLA, the two against Notre Dame mattered, and overall the team is a whopping +24 in turnover margin.

Utah will get up fast and look like it’s in control, but Williams and the Trojans will creep on back before taking over midway through the second half after the team calms down and settles in.

It’s not going to be as much fun as the first time around, but it’ll be a blast.

One way or another, the College Football Playoff will probably be settled before Saturday.

Expert Picks College Championship WeekNFL Week 13

USC vs Utah Pac-12 Championship Prediction, Line

USC 38, Utah 34
Line: USC -2.5, o/u: 66.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
USC vs Utah Pac-12 Championship Must See Rating (out of 5): 5
Utah vs USC Experts Picks

CFN 1-131 Rankings | Rankings by Conference
Path to the Playoff: 6 teams still in the race 

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Bowl Projections | Rankings

Notre Dame vs USC Prediction Game Preview

Notre Dame vs USC game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Week 13 game on Saturday, November 26

Notre Dame vs USC prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 13, Saturday, November 26


Notre Dame vs USC Prediction Game Preview

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Notre Dame vs USC How To Watch

Date: Saturday, November 26
Game Time: 7:30 ET
Venue: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
How To Watch: ABC
Record: Notre Dame (8-3), USC (10-1)
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Why Notre Dame Will Win

The Irish are going to run the ball.

It’s been easy to dismiss the season because of the 0-2 start and loss to Marshall, and the inexplicable loss to Stanford always gets brought up, but the team is 8-1 in the last nine game for a reason.

The running game has found it.

The passing attack hasn’t been consistent enough, but the offensive line has kicked it in, the trio of backs and QB Drew Pyne are producing, and it’s getting stronger and stronger with 220 rushing yards or more in four of the last five games.

Notre Dame is 6-0 when it runs for 200 yards or more. UCLA just powered away for over 200 in the thrilling 48-45 USC win, but it’s more than just that.

The Trojan D gives up 4.6 yards per carry, but most teams abandon the ground game to start throwing in an attempt to keep up the pace. The Irish have to keep running no matter what until the O breaks through.

They’re 8-0 when running 38 times or more, and Stanford is the only team to run that many times – 45 in the 41-28 loss – against the Trojans.

But …

Bowl Projections | Bowl Bubble: Who’s Bowl Eligible?

Why USC Will Win

Caleb Williams is just that good.

He had the performance he needed to have against UCLA – 75% for 470 yards and two scores and 33 rushing yards and a touchdown – and now the Heisman might be his for the taking with one more monster game when everyone is watching.

But USC is more than 13.

Even without Travis Dye the running game kept on rolling last week – the Trojans average 5.3 yards per carry – the line gives Williams a ton of time to work, and it all meshes with a relentless style that will be impossible for Notre Dame to match.

Only Tennessee averages more yards per game, no one is better in turnover margin, and only Washington is more effective on third downs.

Again, the turnover margin. Notre Dame has forced multiple takeaways in three of the last four games, but USC has only given it away four times. So …

Week 13 College Football Schedule, Game Previews

What’s Going To Happen

USC might turn it over once, but it won’t turn it over two or more times that Notre Dame will need.

USC will give up 450 yards, but it won’t give up the 500 Notre Dame will need.

Williams will struggle in the first half, find his groove in the second half, and then it’ll come down to the USC defense and its second takeaway of the game to seal the thriller.

Expert Picks College Week 12NFL Week 11

Notre Dame vs USC Prediction, Line

USC 40, Notre Dame 34
Line: USC -5.5, o/u: 64.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
Notre Dame vs USC Must See Rating (out of 5): 5

CFN 1-131 Rankings | Rankings by Conference
Path to the Playoff: 7 teams still in the race 

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Bowl Projections | Rankings

Pac-12 Predictions Schedule Game Previews Lines TV Week 13

Pac-12 schedule and previews for the Week 13 games including Arizona State at Arizona, Oregon at Oregon State, Notre Dame at USC, Washington at Washington State

Pac-12 schedule, previews Week 12: USC at UCLA, Utah at Oregon, Stanford at Cal, Oregon State at Arizona State, Washington State at Arizona 


Pac-12 Predictions Schedule Game Previews Lines TV: Week 13

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Click on each game for the preview and prediction

Results So Far
Straight Up 63-19, ATS 41-41, o/u 39-44

Friday, November 25

Arizona State at Arizona

3:00 FS1
Line: Arizona -4, o/u: 65.5

UCLA at Cal

4:30 FOX
Line: UCLA -10.5, o/u: 60.5

Saturday, November 26

Oregon at Oregon State

3:30 ABC
Prediction: Oregon 31, Oregon State 27
Line: Oregon -3.5, o/u: 58.5

Utah at Colorado

4;00 Pac-12 Network
Line: Utah -29.5, o/u: 52.5

Notre Dame at USC

7:30 ABC
Line: USC -5.5, o/u: 64.5

Washington at Washington State

10:30 ESPN
Line: Washington -1.5, o/u: 60.5

BYU at Stanford

11:00 FS1
Line: BYU -6.5, o/u: 57.5

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CFN 1-131 Rankings | Rankings by Conference
Path to the Playoff: 7 teams still in the race 

Pac-12 Predictions Schedule Game Previews Lines TV Week 12

Pac-12 schedule and previews for the Week 12 games: USC at UCLA, Utah at Oregon, Stanford at Cal, Oregon State at Arizona State, Washington State at Arizona

Pac-12 schedule, previews Week 12: USC at UCLA, Utah at Oregon, Stanford at Cal, Oregon State at Arizona State, Washington State at Arizona 


Pac-12 Predictions Schedule Game Previews Lines TV: Week 12

[mm-video type=playlist id=01f1343a1wt7q817p7 player_id=none image=https://collegefootballnews.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Click on each game for the preview and prediction

Results So Far
Straight Up 60-16, ATS 40-37, o/u 36-41 

Saturday, November 19

Washington State at Arizona

2:00 Pac-12 Network
Line: Washington State -3.5, o/u: 62.5

Oregon State at Arizona State

2:15 ESPN2
Line: Oregon State -7.5, o/u: 54.5

Stanford at Cal

5:30 Pac-12 Network
Line: Cal -5.5, o/u: 45.5

USC at UCLA

8:00 FOX
Line: USC -2.5, o/u: 75.5

Colorado at Washington

9:00 Pac-12 Network
Line: Washington -30.5, o/u: 64.5

Utah at Oregon

10:30 ESPN
Line: Utah -1.5, o/u: 61.5

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CFN 1-131 Rankings | Rankings by Conference
Bowl Projections | Expert Picks Week 12
Week 12 Schedule, Predictions | Bowl Bubble
Path to the Playoff: 9 teams still in the race
CFP Top 25: Week 3 | CFP rankings reaction