USC. vs. Fresno State Prediction, Pick, Odds: Will Lincoln Riley and the Trojans Keep Rolling?

USC. vs. Fresno State Prediction, Pick, Odds: Will Lincoln Riley and the Trojans Keep Rolling?

Lincoln Riley's arrival in Southern California has been a success through two games. Sophomore quarterback Caleb Williams joined Riley via the transfer portal after he departed from Oklahoma and he's looked every bit the part of a bonafide QB1. Running back Travis Dye is averaging 6.6 YPC and has 165 total yards, creating a good balance within Riley's hyped offensive scheme.

Fresno State is 26-14 under fourth-year head coach Jeff Tedford and he's got fifth-year senior Jake Haener playing well. Haener has completed 74.7 percent of his passes and racked up 737 passing yards against Cal Poly and Oregon State, although the latter resulted in a disappointing 35-32 loss last weekend. Tedford will need to prepare the defense for USC's dynamic rushing attack that has been a buzzsaw against its opponents entering Week 3 of the 2022 college football season.

The Bulldogs have a good secondary, which will force Williams to use his legs. Can Riley dial up the perfect playbook to keep dominating? Here are our picks, predictions, and odds for Saturday's game between Fresno State Bulldogs vs. USC Trojans

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FRESNO STATE VS. USC START TIME, WHERE TO WATCH, AND ODDS

Date: Saturday, September 17th

Game time: 10:30 pm ET

Where to Watch: FOX

Click here for USC vs. Fresno State odds

FRESNO STATE VS. USC INJURY REPORT

FRESNO STATE

No injuries to report.

USC

DB Briton Allen (DTD - Knee), PK Garth White (DTD - Undisclosed), DB Adonis Otey (DTD - Undisclosed), OL Jason Rodriguez (DTD - Undisclosed), LB Chris Thompson Jr. (DTD - Undisclosed), WR Michael Jackson III (DTD - Undisclosed), DB Joshua Jackson Jr. (DTD - Undisclosed), DL Domani Jackson (DTD - Knee), DL De'jon Benton (DTD - Arm), QB Mo Hasan (Out Indefinitely - Achilles), and TE Jude Wolfe (Out Indefinitely - Foot).

FRESNO STATE VS. USC PREDICTION

These teams have not met since 2019 when USC won 31-23. Tedford was a younger coach back then but he still kept the Bulldogs competitive, racking up over 200 rushing yards and adding another 256 passing yards. The issue was the turnovers. Fresno State threw an interception and lost a pair of fumbles, turning the tide in the Trojans' favor. This cannot happen against a much-improved USC roster under one of the game's brightest young coaches.

Fresno State has not played elite competition but they did hold Oregon State under 220 passing yards and only one touchdown. As previously stated, it was defending the rushing attack that ruined the Bulldogs' opportunity to start 2022 with an undefeated record. Will they be better under the bright lights of the Coliseum? I don't believe so.

The Trojans are built with a similar style on defense, restricting Rice and Stanford to 220 passing yards or less with only one total touchdown during its beginning stretch. Teams try to beat the Trojans with a ground-and-pound mentality, with both of their opponents attempting 34 or more carries. USC's defense is legitimate. The unit has six interceptions and three fumble recoveries and will be buzzing with their home crowd during the late window.

Caleb Williams is young but don't doubt his ability to make a real run at becoming a Heisman Trophy finalist this season. He has only ten incompletions, 590 passing yards, and six touchdowns entering this matchup. He's a savvy talent who minimizes mistakes and utilizes his mobility to extend the pocket, allowing the Trojans' skill players to improvise or break coverage. I'm taking USC to cover the spread in another impressive victory.

FRESNO STATE VS. USC PICK

• Pick: USC -12.5 (-110) (bet $110 to win $100)