Utah (3-0) at Southern Cal (2-1)
When: Friday, September 20, 2019
Where: L.A. Memorial Coliseum,
Los Angeles, CA
Time: 9:00 ET | TV: FS1
Opening Odds: Utah -2.5/53.5
The Utah Utes came into the 2019 season as the favorites to win the Pac-12 South Division and face potentially the Washington Huskies in the conference title game and are off to a nice 3-0 start. But, they must now face a task that have never completed in school history, and that’s win a game at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Utah is 0-8 all-time at the famed stadium – home of the USC Trojans – but will come in as more than a field goal favorite this time around against a Southern California team that just lost their athletic director. The 11th-ranked Utes have cruised to easy wins over rival BYU (30-12), Northern Illinois (35-17) and Idaho State (31-0), holding all three to less than 100 yards on the ground. The Trojans begin a rough stretch of games beginning Friday with Utah, playing at No. 21 Washington and No. 7 Notre Dame after this weekend and will do so without Lynn Swann, who stepped down as the school’s AD last week. USC is coming off a sloppy 30-27 overtime loss to BYU and head coach Clay Helton is clearly on the hot seat. Although the Utes have never won at the Coliseum, they have beaten USC the last three times in Salt Lake City including a 41-28 triumph last season.
Utah doesn’t have the most prolific offense, but they have turned it over just once all season and are one of four teams nationally that has not allowed a sack. Senior running back Zack Moss needs just 196 yards to break the school rushing record (3,219) after recording 106 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries against Idaho State last week. Quarterback Tyler Huntley has completed 77.8 percent of his passes through three games with four touchdowns and zero interceptions while also rushing for 99 yards and a score. Thirteen different players have a caught a pass including four from Bryan Thompson, who has 171 yards and two scores. The Utes defense ranks eighth nationally (239.3), seventh against the run (65.0) and sixth in points allowed (9.7) and are led by first team All-Pac-12 linemen in Bradlee Anae and Leki Fotu. Utah will host Washington State next weekend.
USC is now starting a true freshman quarterback in Kedon Slovis, who threw three interceptions in last week’s loss to the Cougars, but is still ranked fifth nationally in completion percentage (77.3. The sub-par performance on the road in Provo came after Slovis completed 28-of-33 passes for 377 yards and three touchdowns in the home win over Stanford. He does have NFL talent at wide receiver to work with in Tyler Vaughns (23 catches, 321 yards, one TD), Michael Pittman (21 catches, 205 yards, two TDs) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (14 catches, 139 yards, two TDs). The defense has been giving up too many yards through the air after three games, ranking 99th in FBS in that category (264.0 yards).
Normally, USC’s talent can just walk over any old Utah team, but this Utes’ squad can now match the Trojans almost position-by-position. This will be the toughest task to date for USC. Remember, Utah won easily at BYU a few weeks ago, while Slovis and the Trojans lost just a week ago at the same stadium. It’s hard to lay points on the road against USC, but I’m doing it here.
Pick: Utah -4 (More Week 4 Free Picks)
Betting Trends:
Utes are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 Friday games.
Utes are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
Utes are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 conference games.
Utes are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games on grass.
Utes are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Utes are 13-5 ATS in their last 18 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
Utes are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
Utes are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 road games.
Utes are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss.
Utes are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
Utes are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
Utes are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
Utes are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up win.
Utes are 0-5 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
Utes are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games in September.
Utes are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
Trojans are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Trojans are 7-16 ATS in their last 23 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
Trojans are 5-12 ATS in their last 17 games following a ATS loss.
Trojans are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 home games.
Trojans are 8-20-1 ATS in their last 29 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
Trojans are 4-10-1 ATS in their last 15 games on grass.
Trojans are 7-19-1 ATS in their last 27 games overall.
Trojans are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games in September.
Trojans are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
Trojans are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 Friday games.
Under is 5-0 in Utes last 5 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
Over is 5-1 in Utes last 6 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 in Utes last 5 road games.
Under is 4-1 in Utes last 5 Friday games.
Over is 7-2 in Utes last 9 vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 8-3 in Utes last 11 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
Over is 10-4 in Utes last 14 games following a ATS loss.
Under is 9-4 in Utes last 13 games on grass.
Over is 13-6 in Utes last 19 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Over is 10-3 in Trojans last 13 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
Under is 9-3-1 in Trojans last 13 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
Over is 5-2 in Trojans last 7 games following a straight up loss.
Over is 21-9-2 in Trojans last 32 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
Home team is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 meetings.
Utes are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
