The Alabama Crimson Tide will always be looked at as a defensive juggernaut – especially with Nick Saban at the helm – but their offense should not be overlooked. The ‘Bama offense has averaged 38.4 points per game in their past five games to open their season – which has led to the OVER going a perfect 5-0 in that span. The Tide start their 2016 campaign when they take on the USC Trojans at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
- USC closed last season by going 1-5 ATS in their final six games.
- Ronald Jones II and Justin Davis combined for 134.9 rushing yards per game last season.
- Calvin Ridley only had four games of 100-plus yards last season.
The Tide will be replacing several key players on both sides of the ball, but we should be used to seeing that by now. The offense needs to replace Jake Coker and Derrick Henry, but the quarterback position is in constant flux in Tuscaloosa and Bo Scarborough should fill in nicely for Henry. One offensive constant will be Calvin Ridley, who posted a stellar freshman year last season.
USC doesn’t face the same issue as Alabama, as the Trojans return the bulk of their offense except for starting quarterback Cody Kessler. Junior Max Browne has been named the starting QB despite a lack of reps at the college level. Luckily for Browne, USC’s offensive line looks fantastic and he has one of the best receivers in the nation to throw to in JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Sportsbook Odds & Computer Pick
The USC Trojans were listed as 9-point underdogs on the Sportsbook NCAA football line at Sportsbook and most sportsbooks tracked by Odds Shark. No total was available early in the week, check out the odds pages here or Sportsbook for updates.
Odds Shark computer prediction formulas pick a 43-18 win for the Crimson Tide on Saturday. View the computer score prediction and who will win the pick on the moneyline for all upcoming NCAAF matchups here.
USC Trojans vs Alabama Crimson Tide Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
Betting fans of the Alabama Crimson Tide have seen them go 0-0 and 0-0 ATS so far this season, while the USC Trojans are at 0-0 and 0-0 ATS. In over under totals betting, the USC Trojans are 0-0, while the Alabama Crimson Tide are 0-0. Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and Alabama vs USC injuries news.
It's a betting matchup between the No. 1-rated Alabama Crimson Tide and the No. 68-ranked USC Trojans, according to the NCAA College Football Power Rankings here at Odds Shark.
Statistical Matchup
Offensively, the game matches up the Alabama Crimson Tide No. -ranked offense ( PPG) against a USC Trojans defense that ranks No. at PPG. The Alabama Crimson Tide passing attack has averaged yards per game, more than the USC Trojans give up through the air ( YPG on average).
Defensively, the USC Trojans feature the league's No. 43-rated road run defense, allowing 153.33 yards per game. Alabama, meanwhile, ranks No. 59 in rushing offense at home.
Recent Outings Betting Recap
The Trojans suffered a Week P loss against Wisconsin in their last game, falling 23-21 at Qualcomm Stadium.
Jacob Coker throttled the Tigers defense in his team's most recent action, throwing for 335 yards as Alabama handed Clemson a 45-40 defeat.
- Southern California is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
- Alabama is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
- Alabama is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Next Betting Matchups
USC home to Utah State, Saturday, September 10th
Alabama home to WKU, Saturday, September 10th
