While USC is looking for a redemption season under head coach Clay Helton, Fresno State hopes to begin the season with a massive non-conference win.
Coming off a disappointing season in 2018, USC looks to begin the season similar to the first two seasons of the Clay Helton era. Helton opted to name sophomore quarterback JT Daniels the starter against Fresno State after an open competition following a 5-7 season with Daniels running the show. Jack Sears has subsequently announced he is entering the transfer portal.
Fresno State has had a much more successful season the previous year, winning a second consecutive bowl game and a Mountain West conference championship. Head coach Jeff Tedford has turned around the program and could make an early statement on what’s in store for this upcoming season with an upset on the road.
The Bulldogs have had recent success against the Pac-12 after beating both UCLA during the regular season as well as Arizona State in the team’s Las Vegas Bowl victory.
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After coming into the polls unranked, The Trojans will try and slip into the rankings with a much-needed victory in the opener at home. For Fresno State, a win would be great, but a loss would not mean the dream of back-to-back conference championships is dead by any means. Expect a hard-fought football game with Fresno State’s gritty defense while almost all Trojan fans will have their eyes on Daniels’ performance for the Trojans.
How to bet on and watch Fresno State at USC
Date: Saturday, Aug. 31
Start Time:10:30 p.m. ET
Location: Los Angeles, California
Stadium: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
TV Info: ESPN
Odds: USC -13.5 (Bovada)
Total: 53
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Prediction: Oddsmakers see this as an easy USC win late Saturday night to begin the college football season for Clay Helton’s club, but it may be closer than predicted. If USC stumbles out of the gates early, this game could come down to the wire like the Florida-Miami game just a couple nights prior. In the end, USC should come away with the victory but won’t cover the 13.5-point spread and the under hits.
Score: USC 30, Fresno State 21