This Saturday night, the Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-3) will host the No. 11 USC Trojans (3-1) in their first matchup as Big 10 rivals. Kickoff for this matchup is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET, with Fox Sports on the broadcast.
Minnesota opened at just over a touchdown underdog in college football Week 6 odds and is now getting 9.5 points at most books. USC is getting -320 odds on the moneyline, and the total has been bet up to 51.5 points.
USC is coming off an impressive 38-21 win over Wisconsin following a 27-24 loss at Michigan the previous week. The Trojans outgained Wisconsin 205-82 while scoring 28 unanswered points in the second half, so they’ll look to carry that momentum into a tough road test. However, USC could be without its leading tackler, linebacker Eric Gentry (neck).
Minnesota also played Michigan close in a 27-24 loss last weekend, indicating that the Gophers could be competitive against the Trojans. While they’ve dropped consecutive games against top-tier opponents, the Gophers have shown improvement recently on both sides of the ball. They were missing defensive linemen Jaylin Hicks and Theorin Randle last week and will hope to have them back in the lineup.
Below, we break down the matchup and highlight some player props for this Big 10 bout. We cover a sportsbook promo for the game below. If you are located in California, check our CA sportsbook promos page.
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USC vs. Minnesota player prop tool
Our player prop tool can help you find all the available bets for anyone in this game or other NCAA action this weekend. Simply search for a player, and the database will populate with all the available props at college football betting sites.
Player props for USC vs. Minnesota
How Miller Moss could get over 288.5 passing yards
This is an intriguing matchup pitting Moss, who leads the Big 10 in passing yards per game (299.5), against Minnesota, the only team in the FBS allowing less than 100 passing yards per game. Yet Moss just reached 308 passing yards against a Wisconsin defense that was allowing 160.3 passing yards per game coming into the matchup.
He’s found success by spreading the ball around so defenses can’t key in on one weapon, with Ja’Kobi Lane stepping up for career highs last week. Minnesota has faced physical offenses in Iowa and Michigan, but USC poses a completely different challenge with speed all over the field.
How Miller Moss could get under 288.5 passing yards
Regardless of the competition, Minnesota’s pass defense merits respect. The Gophers are allowing just 4.5 yards per attempt (second in FBS) and are intercepting 6.1% of passes (seventh in FBS) this season. Opponents have found success on the ground against the Gophers, with Michigan and Iowa combining to rack up 427 rushing yards over the past two weeks.
This is a much easier matchup for USC to get its ground game on track after facing LSU, Michigan, and Wisconsin so far this season. Moss has limited experience starting on the road, and USC head coach Lincoln Riley has seen his teams struggle to maintain offensive success when they travel away from Southern California.
How Max Brosmer could get over 200.5 passing yards
If USC finds success on the ground or through the air, Brosmer and Minnesota will need to pass. The 6-foot-2 senior led FCS in passing yards per game (314.9) at New Hampshire last season, and he seems to be acclimating to tougher competition, with 467 passing yards over his last two outings against stellar defensive teams (Iowa and Michigan).
Like USC, Minnesota’s offense should be in rhythm after a stellar second-half performance in Week 5. Brosmer completed 16 of 23 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown in the second half against the defending national champs, so it’s clear he can play at this level.
How Max Brosmer could get under 200.5 passing yards
While Brosmer had a great second half against Michigan, his team held the ball for nine minutes fewer than the Wolverines. The biggest danger to his output could be an even stronger performance from the USC offense, as the Trojans look to pound the rock rather than testing Minnesota’s great pass defense.
Defensively, the Trojans are tied for fourth in the nation in first downs allowed in the second half. New coordinator D’Anton Lynn led UCLA to tremendous defensive success last season, and his Trojans are only allowing 154.8 passing yards per game. Trojans safety Akili Arnold might return after missing Week 5, and safety Kamari Ramsey should be fine after dealing with cramps last Saturday.
