USC vs. Indiana Betting Preview: Can Trojans Cover?

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USC Faces a Difficult Road Test Against Indiana

USC travels to Indiana after a huge win over Ohio State at the Coliseum, but the Trojans have not played well on the road. Indiana has looked vulnerable offensively, with questions at quarterback and a running game that has not been as powerful as it was in recent years. The receivers are good, however, and the defense remains strong.

Indiana opened as a sizable favorite, with the line sitting around seven to seven-and-a-half points before climbing as high as 10 or 11 at some sportsbooks on Wednesday. The sudden movement prompted speculation that Jaden Mayaba might appear on the Big Ten injury report, but he was not listed.

The movement also was not connected to Josh Hoover being absent from Indiana’s injury report. Matt Grill of DraftKing Sportsbook said Hoover’s expected availability had already been factored into the line. The number later dropped back to roughly eight-and-a-half or nine points.

The matchup remains difficult to assess from a betting standpoint. Since arriving at USC, Lincoln Riley has struggled on the road against physical teams. Wisconsin appeared more physical than USC in their meeting, even though Wisconsin is viewed as a solid team rather than a playoff-caliber one.

Indiana is 8-1 but just 1-8 against the spread this season, making it one of the worst covering teams in college football. Some of that may be connected to inflated expectations after winning the championship last year.

Indiana is still the pick to win, but USC’s points are appealing given the size of the spread. The Trojans’ offense has shown promise this season, though they still need to prove they can deliver in a hostile road environment. Their win at Penn State does not carry as much weight given what Penn State has shown.

Both teams are coming off a bye, so neither side has an advantage in rest.