Washington USC Betting – Friends From Seattle And Los Angeles Face Off Against Each Other
Two of the men who helped Pete Carroll win big as the former coach of the USC Trojans will lock horns on Saturday evening in the City of Angels.
NCAA football betting: Washington Huskies @ USC Trojans
Online Betting Odds: USC -10
Why To Bet On Washington
This matchup pits former USC offensive coordinators Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian against each other. Each coach established his coaching chops under Pete Carroll. The two still talk frequently and remain close friends. This should play to the Huskies’ advantage.
Sarkisian’s first big win as a head coach came at Carroll’s expense last year. The Huskies upended the then-No. 3 Trojans, 16-13, at Husky Stadium in Seattle. Having served as USC’s offensive coordinator until last year, Sarkisian is still familiar with many of USC’s players. The Washington staff also features former USC defensive coordinator Nick Holt and former graduate assistant Demetrice Martin, as well as a couple of administrators with USC ties. This collective intimacy with the workings of USC football and the USC system should give Washington the ability to game plan quite efficiently. Kiffin might be able to snooker some other coaches in the Pac-10, but he won’t be able to play very many tricks against Sarkisian. Two people who are roughly the same age and shared multiple responsibilities on Carroll’s coaching staff will each win their share of battles. That’s why Washington won’t get thoroughly outclassed on Saturday.
Why To Bet On USC
The reason to take USC is that last year’s Washington win will fuel the fires of revenge. Many USC players are already speaking out this week and are stressing the importance of this year’s game because of last year’s outcome. What’s also worth noting in the buildup to kickoff is that USC quarterback Matt Barkley will finally get his shot against the Huskies after missing last year’s game with an injury. Barkley beat the Ohio State Buckeyes last September but then missed the following game at Washington; had the freshman (now a sophomore) been able to play on that gray afternoon in the Pacific Northwest, the chances are very good that USC would have won. Backup Aaron Corp performed horribly in the three-point loss for the Trojans. Barkley enters this year’s contest ranked 14th in the nation in passing efficiency.
USC may focus on running the ball against Washington. The Huskies gave up 383 rushing yards and six touchdowns to the Nebraska Cornhuskers high-powered attack on Sept. 18. USC spread the ball around last week against Washington State to Marc Tyler, Allen Bradford, Stanley Havili and C.J. Gable. Dillon Baxter also saw a lot of late-game carries and could be a factor on Saturday. USC certainly has the depth to be able to pound away at Washington’s suspect defensive line. The Trojans can play power football in this game with some success. That will really work in their favor.
How The Game Will Play Out
The Trojans have littered the stat sheet with turnovers and penalties in their first four games. This is why USC has not been overly impressive against inferior competition. The Washington Huskies will give USC a much better test as October begins, and the Huskies have too many athletes to get blown off the field. USC will win, but it’s ridiculous that an inconsistent bunch of Trojans rate as a double-digit favorite against a half-decent opponent. Washington is very likely to keep this a once-score game. The Huskies might not be good enough on the defensive line to win the game outright. Take Washington plus the points, while USC ekes out a close win.
Washington USC Betting Pick: Washington
