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3rd Quarter Report
Fortunes may be turning around for USC after losing three in a row. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead Louisville 35-21. USC's offense has been firing on all cylinders thus far, outscoring their total from back in November with time still left to play.
If USC keeps playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 8-5 in no time. On the other hand, Louisville will have to make due with a 10-4 record unless they turn things around (and fast).
Preview
The USC Trojans and the Louisville Cardinals will square off in the Holiday Bowl at Petco Park 8:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Despite being away, USC is looking at a 7.5-point advantage in the spread.
USC's recent rough patch got a bit rougher back in November after their third straight loss. The match between USC and UCLA wasn't a total blowout, but with USC falling 38-20 at home it was darn close to turning into one. USC didn't live up to their potential and found themselves falling short of the advantage oddsmakers thought they had coming into the game.
Despite the defeat, USC had strong showings from Brenden Rice, who picked up 147 receiving yards and a touchdown, and Caleb Williams, who threw for 384 yards and a touchdown while completing 73.8% of his passes. Rice's longest reception was for an incredible 74 yards.
Even though they lost, the Trojans dominated in the air and finished the game with 384 passing yards (they're ranked fifth in passing yards per game overall). They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as UCLA only passed for 155 passing yards.
After a sunny season, Louisville has been experiencing darker times in their latest games. They fell 16-6 to Florida State on December 2nd. The result shouldn't come as a shock considering that's the fewest points Louisville has scored all season.
USC bumped their record down to 7-5 with that loss, which was their third straight at home. As for Louisville, their defeat dropped their record down to 10-3.
Not only did the pair lose their last games, but neither team managed to cover the spread. As for their next game, Louisville is the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by 7.5 points. Those brave souls putting their money on USC against the spread have faith in an upset since their 11-15 ATS record can't hold a candle to Louisville's 16-9-1.
