The Michigan Wolverines (2-1) and USC Trojans (2-0) meet as Big Ten members for the first time on Saturday after eight meetings in the Rose Bowl as Big Ten vs. Pac-12 foes. USC is off to a hot start, beating LSU on Labor Day Weekend and then handling Utah State 48-0 in Week 2 before a Week 3 bye. Michigan, meanwhile, has been slow out of the gate as it looks to defend its national championship. The Wolverines lost 31-12 at home to Texas in Week 2 and they've failed to cover against Arkansas State and Fresno State in their two wins thus far. They will turn to quarterback Alex Orji as the starter in this one.
Kickoff at The Big House is 3:30 p.m. ET. The Trojans are 5.5-point favorites in the latest USC vs. Michigan odds via SportsLine consensus. The over/under is 46.5. Before making any Michigan vs. USC picks, be sure to check out the college football predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
Saturday's game can be seen live on CBS and streamed live on Paramount+, which you can now get for 50% off your first year plus a 7-day free trial (valid through 9/22/24).
The model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a profit of over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It is also coming off a profitable 13-9 season on top-rated spread picks and is off to a 5-2 start on over/under picks this season. Anyone who has followed it has seen strong returns.
Now, the model has dialed in on Michigan vs. USC and just revealed its coveted picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college football odds for the spread, money line and over/under:
- Michigan vs. USC spread: USC -5.5
- Michigan vs. USC over/under: 46.5 points
- Michigan vs. USC money line: USC -231, Michigan +188
- Michigan vs. USC picks: See picks here
- Michigan vs. USC streaming: Paramount+ (get 50% off first year of annual plan now through 9/22/24)
Why Michigan can cover
There's been massive line movement in this matchup as the Wolverines were once favored by as many as 13 points. Michigan is now getting 5.5 points and the Wolverines rarely lose at home, so there could be some value in backing the team that has gotten off to a slower start this season.
The Wolverines must be better at quarterback, and they hope Orji can be more effective, but they do still feature some of the best players in the nation. Cornerback Will Johnson, defensive tackle Mason Graham and tight end Colston Loveland will likely all be among the first players off the board at their respective position in the 2025 NFL Draft. See picks at SportsLine.
Why USC can cover
The momentum is clearly on USC's side after an impressive start to the season. Bettors have undervalued this team thus far as they adjust to the post-Caleb Williams era. USC won outright as a 4-point underdog against LSU and then handled -30.5 in the 48-0 win over Utah State.
Quarterback Miller Moss has been impressive taking over for Williams so far, but perhaps the top story is the improvement on defense under new coordinator D'Anton Lynn, who came across town from UCLA last December. USC ranked 119th nationally in total defense last season, but the Trojans are 55th through two weeks this year. See picks at SportsLine.
How to make USC vs. Michigan picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 60 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Michigan vs. USC, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up well over $2,000 on top-rated spread picks since its inception, and find out, and don't forget to stream on Paramount+.
