Ohio State vs. USC prediction, best bets: Fade freshman QB on the road

Sometimes the scheduling gods throw you a bone.Lincoln Riley’s seat at USC is getting hotter by the minute, and a loss to Wisconsin last time out may eventually be the proverbial final nail in the coffin, but there is still some hope for Riley.The Trojans (6-2, 3-2) can completely change the tenor of their season with a win over No.2 Ohio State (6-1, 4-0) at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum this weekend.That’s easier said than done, of course, as the Buckeyes are 6.5-point road favorites.The betting market is making quite a statement with this spread.With quarterback Julian Sayin sidelined, Ohio State will turn to freshman Luke Fahey for his first career start in a high-stakes road matchup.The Buckeyes have already suffered a loss this season, leaving little room for error as the College Football Playoff race tightens and several contenders jockey for position.It’s a ton of pressure for Fahey and the offense, but the thinking is that Ohio State’s defense has been so remarkable that the attack won’t need to light it up to get the job done.Against some opponents that may make sense, but USC’s offense is quite a beast to tame.Jayden Maiava and the Trojans have slowed down some in recent weeks, but they still grade out as the No.

9 offense, per SP+, and should provide a stiff test for the nation’s No.1 defense.And it’s not like USC’s defense is inept.

There have certainly been some sour performances, but they have decent numbers against the run, and with Fahey running the show, it will become tougher for the Buckeyes to pick apart the Trojans’ Achilles’ heel in the secondary.Ohio State has the weaponry to get by without Sayin, but asking a freshman quarterback to get this kind of separation against a terrific offense seems like asking a lot.The Play: USC +6.5 (-105, DraftKings)Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry.He loves using game theory to help p...