Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams can strengthen his case to win a second consecutive Heisman when he and the No. 10 USC Trojans square off against the No. 21 Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday. Williams leads the country in passing efficiency (206.4), passing touchdowns (22) and points responsible for (172) and has the Trojans (6-0, 4-0 in Pac-12) in the hunt for a spot in the College Football Playoff. He'll square off against a 5-2 Notre Dame team that has lost two of its last three games.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET from Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind. The Fighting Irish are 3-point favorites in the latest Notre Dame vs. USC odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 60.5. Before making any USC vs. Notre Dame picks, you need to see the college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of more than $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed the model has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Notre Dame vs. USC and identified its picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's CFB picks. Here are several college football odds and trends for USC vs. Notre Dame:
- Notre Dame vs. USC spread: Fighting Irish -3
- Notre Dame vs. USC over/under: 60.5 points
- Notre Dame vs. USC money line: Fighting Irish -144, Trojans +121
- ND: Irish rank third in the country in passing yards allowed per game (146.6)
- USC: QB Williams leads the nation in passing efficiency (206.4)
- Notre Dame vs. USC: See picks at SportsLine
- Notre Dame vs. USC live stream: fubo (try for free)
Why Notre Dame can cover
The Fighting Irish have an irrepressible attack man in defensive lineman Howard Cross III. A fifth-year senior who already has played 45 games at Notre Dame, the 6-foot, 288-pound Cross leads all FBS defensive linemen in tackles this season with 35. Two weeks ago at No. 17 Duke, he turned in a dominant performance, making a team-high 13 tackles while forcing two fumbles, including the game-clinching fumble with 27 seconds remaining. The effort earned him Defensive Player of the Week honors from Walter Camp, the Bednarik Award and the Senior Bowl.
In addition, Audric Estime is a running force for the Fighting Irish. The 5-foot-11 junior from Nyack, N.Y., ranks 16th in the country in rushing yards per game (98.9) and 18th in the nation in rushing yards per carry (6.59). On Saturday he has a plus matchup against a USC defense that ranks 90th in the country against the run (157.0 yards per game). See which team to pick here.
Why USC can cover
The Trojans have arguably the best offense in the country. Led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Williams, USC leads the nation in scoring offense (51.8 points per game). The Trojans also rank third in passing offense (355.2 yards per game) and fourth in total offense (523.3).
In addition, USC faces a Notre Dame offense that has struggled over the last three weeks. After averaging 46.0 points and 508.8 yards per game over their first four games of the season, the Fighting Irish have averaged just 18.3 points and 343.3 yards over their last three games. Their rushing attack has gone from averaging 204.5 yards to 126.3 over that stretch. See which team to pick here.
How to make Notre Dame vs. USC picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over the point total, predicting a combined 65 points. The model also says one side of the spread has all of the value. You can see the model's picks at SportsLine.
So who wins USC vs. Notre Dame, and which side of the spread has all of the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has notched a profit of more than $2,000 on its top-rated college football spread picks, and find out.
