Latest College Football Lines – USC, Minnesota Both Look For Answers

The USC Trojans might be 2-0 in 2010, but they’re playing almost as poorly as the Minnesota Golden Gophers are.  

USC Trojans @ Minnesota Golden Gophers 

Saturday, September 18th – 3:35 PM ET 
TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN 
Broadcast: ESPN 

Latest College Football Lines: USC -13.5, Minnesota +13.5  

It’s time for two football programs to clean up their act. USC and Minnesota have both been painful to watch in their first two games of the young season. 

As one of a handful of teams to have never scheduled an FCS opponent, USC is not at risk of following in the footsteps of Mississippi or Virginia Tech in losing to one of the little guys. 
Being upset by Minnesota this week, though, might be the next worst outcome. 

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The Golden Gophers lived up to their nickname by digging themselves into a hole with a 41-38 loss to South Dakota at home last week. The defeat was a humiliating blow to the program and coach Tim Brewster. A blowout at the hands of USC may bring the team closer to Brewster’s last stand.  

USC’s listlessness has been the story of its first two games as well. Though infrequently challenged by Hawaii and Virginia, the Trojans haven’t managed to dominate their out-of-conference foes as they did under Pete Carroll.  
 
NCAA Handicapping: What USC Has To Do To Win 

Minnesota’s defense may provide the boost that the Trojans’ offense so sorely needs coming off a sluggish performance against Virginia on Sept. 11. South Dakota rolled up 352 passing yards last week against the Golden Gophers, who return only two defensive starters and have looked as frail as that statistic would suggest. The inexperience and generally poor quality of Minnesota’s defense – especially in the secondary – should excite USC quarterback Matt Barkley, who is looking to return to the form he showed in the season opener against Hawaii, when USC rolled up 49 points and looked like a juggernaut. If USC can throw the ball with success and wipe away the ugly memory of last week’s putrid performance in the 17-14 escape job against Virginia, the Trojans should roll in this contest, according to the latest college football lines.

NCAA Handicapping: What Minnesota Has To Do To Win 

Fourth-year starter Adam Weber controls the Gophers’ offense at quarterback, but the team’s most dangerous threat is running back Duane Bennett, who is averaging 6.1 yards per carry. Even after showing progress against Virginia, USC’s defense still has something to prove: It sits at ninth in the Pac-10 in terms of yards allowed per game.

The outdoor confines of TCF Bank Stadium could pose a problem for a USC roster mostly stocked with Californians. The coldest climates the Trojans have experienced have been in their trips to the Pacific Northwest, where they have largely struggled over the past four years.

Minnesota needs to establish Bennett on the ground, chew up the clock, and make USC’s linebackers cheat forward in the tackle box in an attempt to stuff the run. Once Minnesota can establish this trend and get USC’s linebackers in the box, Weber can then throw deep-intermediate passes in the middle of the field and hit big plays which can generate touchdowns for the Golden Gopher attack.

Latest College Football Lines: Outlook & Pick 

USC might be struggling in a very big way, but the Trojans’ problems are nothing compared to what Minnesota is going through. USC is a mediocre team right now, but the Golden Gophers are horrible. Barkley will put up video-game numbers and USC will ring up at least 40 points on Saturday. Take the Trojans, who should be favored by at least one touchdown more than the current Vegas line. 

Latest College Football Lines Betting Pick: USC -13.5