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The No. 11 USC Trojans (2-0) will play their Big Ten opener Saturday afternoon on CBS and Paramount+ when they travel to the Big House to face the No. 18 Michigan Wolverines (2-1). USC opened the season with a neutral-site win over then-No. 13 LSU before adding a 48-0 win over Utah State in Week 2. This is the program's first-ever Big Ten conference game, and it is its first trip to Ann Arbor since 1958. Michigan bounced back from a blowout loss to then-No. 3 Texas with a 28-18 win over Arkansas State last week.

Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. The Trojans are 4.5-point favorites, per SportsLine consensus, in the latest Michigan vs. USC odds. The over/under for total points is 44. Before making any USC vs. Michigan picks, be sure to check out the college football predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

Saturday's game can be seen live on CBS and streamed live on Paramount+, which you can now get for 50% off your first year plus a 7-day free trial (valid through 9/22/24). Sign up here and get half-off.

The model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a profit of over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It is also coming off a profitable 13-9 season on top-rated spread picks and is off to a 5-2 start on over/under picks this season. Anyone who has followed it has seen strong returns.

Now, the model has dialed in on Michigan vs. USC and just revealed its coveted picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college football odds for the spreadmoney line and over/under:

  • Michigan vs. USC spread: USC -4.5
  • Michigan vs. USC over/under: 44 points 
  • Michigan vs. USC money line: USC -188, Michigan +155
  • Michigan vs. USC picks: See picks here
  • Michigan vs. USC streaming: Paramount+ (get 50% off first year now through 9/22/24)

Why Michigan can cover

Michigan's offense has gotten off to a slow start, but the Wolverines are hoping for a jolt from quarterback Alex Orji. He's rotated in with Davis Warren at times through the first three weeks, but coach Sherrone Moore announced on Monday that Orji, a redshirt sophomore, will get his first start. He's known as an electric runner, and now he'll get a chance to put his arm more on display.

Michigan has the pieces to be great on defense with cornerback Will Johnson and defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant returning from last year's championship squad that led the nation in scoring defense. This will also be the first true road test for USC quarterback Miller Moss, who has only started games either at home or in neutral venues. See picks at SportsLine

Why USC can cover

Michigan was favored by more than a touchdown when the look-ahead line came out this summer, but the Wolverines have not met expectations in their first three games of the season. They have failed to cover the spread in all three contests, including a 31-12 loss to Texas at home two weeks ago. 

Orji is a run-first quarterback who has only attempted seven passes in his career, so USC will be able to load the box defensively. The Trojans also had an extra week to prepare for this game after having a bye following their wins over then-No. 13 LSU and Utah State. Linebacker Mason Cobb and cornerback Jaylin Smith were both able to recover from injuries during that extra time, as they returned to practice earlier this week and are key members of the defense. See picks at SportsLine.

How to make USC vs. Michigan picks

SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 55 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can see the model's pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Michigan vs. USC, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up well over $2,000 on top-rated spread picks since its inception, and find out, and don't forget to stream Michigan vs. USC on Paramount+.