The Arkansas State Red Wolves (0-0) will visit the #8 USC Trojans (0-0) on Saturday, September 5, 2015 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. The game will televise at 11 pm ET on PAC12. The current odds list USC as a 27-point favorite with the over/under set at 68.5.
Fredi Knighten will lead this fast-paced offense that averaged 476 yards in offense per game last season. Michael Gordon rushed for 1100 yards and added 13 touchdowns. Wide receivers are where this team separates themselves from everyone else. Tres Houston, JD McKissic and Dijon Paschal will be Knighten’s main targets this year. They have a weak rush defense that could make for some long games if they cannot find a way to stop the run. The Red Wolves are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games.
USC starts the season off with high expectations as they are ranked #8. Cody Kessler returns to the team after throwing 39 touchdowns in 2014. Juju Smith-Schuster returns after a strong freshman year where he had 724 yards receiving and five touchdowns. Justin Davis will split carries with Tre Madden who will look to replace Javorius Allen who entered the NFL. The Trojans will most likely have another offensive display but lack depth in the pass defense. The Trojans are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 non-conference games.
My Pick: Arkansas State +27
I am curious to see how many points these two teams end with. This should be an offensive battle with defense not being much of a factor. It is hard to pass on that many points when their offense is fairly strong. Arkansas State is loaded at wide receiver and there are just too many options for Knighten to hit. If the offensive line can give him time, these two teams will score 80 points.