The USC Trojans and Fresno State Bulldogs comedy a rematch of aftermost year's Las Vegas Bowl this Saturday night at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (7:30 p.m. ET, Fox).
USC exhausted Fresno State 45-20 as 5-point favorites aftermost year, with the bold bottomward aloof UNDER the 65.5-point total. The Trojans' Cody Kessler threw for 345 yards and four TDs in that game, and he's aback for his inferior division beneath new drillmaster Steve Sarkisian. Fresno State has had to alter three-year amateur Derek Carr, with the activity amidst inferior Brian Burrell and chief Duke alteration Brandon Connette.
Line: USC -21.5, Total: 58
Line movement: This advance opened USC -22 in backward July in Las Vegas. As of Friday, 21s and 21.5s could be begin about town. The absolute has bounced amidst 57 and 58. For adapted spreads and totals from about Las Vegas, appointment our alive allowance page.
Trends that matter: The UNDER is 12-4 in USC's aftermost 16 non-conference games.
Fresno State is 13-4 ATS in its aftermost 17 accurate alley games.
The UNDER accomplished 6-2 for Fresno State aftermost year afterwards the OVER started 4-1.
MORE BETTING INFO: Fresno State vs. USC antagonism page | Power ratings
Controversy brews: USC has a brace of exceptionable distractions this week, as the adventure that starting cornerback Josh Shaw told about abasing himself while extenuative his nephew angry out to be a sham, and active Anthony Brown abdicate the aggregation amidst letters that he alleged Sarkisian a racist.
Shaw (ankles) is out this anniversary afterwards jumping from a building. There are additionally injuries at linebacker (see below), and the aegis is adjusting to the move to the 3-4 beneath new coordinator Justin Wilcox.
USC is affective to an up-tempo breach beneath Sarkisian, and should be accomplished at the accomplishment positions with the connected maturation of Kessler. The key could be how the abhorrent band holds up.
Derek Carr will be missed: Fresno State has an up-tempo breach of its own, finishing sixth in the country in scoring aftermost year (43.4 PPG), on the way to acceptable the West Division of the MWC. Carr will be hardly missed, abnormally aboriginal in the season, with Burrell and Connette both acceptable to see activity on Saturday.
The Bulldogs aegis was 95th nationally in yards accustomed aftermost year (430.8 per game). Eight starters acknowledgment and solid advance is accepted in the front-seven and secondary.
Injuries that matter: Shaw and linebacker Lamar Dawson (knee) are out indefinitely for USC, additional linebacker Jabari Ruffin (knee) is out for the season. For Fresno State, Kick returner Dillon Root is abeyant for this game. Weather: The backward afternoon alpha time on the West Coast will see brilliant skies and temps in the high 70s. See wunderground.com for the latest forecast.
The Linemakers' lean: This bold could get ugly, with USC potentially assault bottomward Fresno State alike added acutely than in aftermost season's Las Vegas Bowl. The Bulldogs appear in with ambiguity at quarterback, while USC is accessible to cycle with Kessler. Sarkisian will anon appetite to affect the alumni in his aboriginal bold out, abnormally in ablaze of the civic belief surrounding the affairs appropriate now. 'USC wins impressively' is the alone banderole those associated with the academy appetite to read.
Look for the Trojans to win by four touchdowns or more. We apprehend this band to drop, so delay as continued as accessible afore alpha to lay beneath than 21.
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Title : Fresno State vs. USC allowance and aces - Sarkisian era begins beneath controversy
Description : The USC Trojans and Fresno State Bulldogs comedy a rematch of aftermost year's Las Vegas Bowl this Saturday night at the L...