Notre Dame vs USC Betting Lines, Heisman & Championship Odds

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-1) are four point favorites to prevail over their intersectional rival, the USC Trojans (6-1), at home on Saturday night.

The over/under for the game stands at 60.5 points currently, with the OddsShark handicapping engine predicting an over and a SC cover with both teams scoring at least 34 points. If the line stands, this will be the first time USC hasn’t been favored since its game against the Washington Huskies last Nov. 12.

While both team sport similar records, they are treating bettors very differently this year.

The Irish are 5-1 against the point spread and have hit the over on four of their six games. The Trojans, meanwhile, are 1-6 against the spread and have failed to eclipse the over on four of seven tries.

Bettors keep thinking USC is going to pull away from teams, when in actuality they are usually coming from behind late. The Trojans have scored 43 percent of their points in the fourth quarter or overtime, and are second in the nation in fourth quarter points per game. Notre Dame, meanwhile, likes fast starts. They’ve scored 12.2 points per game in the first quarter, seventh-best in the FBS.

Despite some close shaves, there’s a reason the Trojans are going to be a tough opponent to conquer. USC is 15-1 in its last 16 games, and 11-4 against the Irish since 2002 - and 5-2 in South Bend during that time.

HEISMAN ODDS

Oddsmakers are pretty much like the rest of the world — totally not tuned into the outstanding season junior running back Josh Adams is having.

CHAMPIONSHIP ODDS

Notre Dame spent the week eatin’ cheeseburgers, but increased their likelihood to win the College Football Playoff Championship. Oddmakers now say there’s a 33-to-1 chance they win it all.

POINTS!

#23 West Virginia Mountaineers at Baylor Bears (+9)
8 p.m. Saturday, Fox Sports 1
Over/under: 72.5 points

For the fourth straight week, I’m suggesting you watch a Big 12 game if you want to see points-upon-points-upon-points. For those of you that believed I was harboring a secret man crush on Kliff Kingsbury, wonder no more. Texas Tech is not involved this week.

The Mountaineers, fresh off a 46-35 win over the aforementioned Red Raiders, play the winless Bears, who just got thumped by the Oklahoma State Cowboys. The point spread is only nine points! What does Vegas know that we don’t? Because that spread seems awfully low.