The No. 1 ranked USC Trojans open up Pac-10 play against the Oregon State Beavers on Thursday September 25, 2008 on ESPN and Expert Football Handicapper Jeff Alexander is here to help Point-Spreads.com readers get to the bottom of this College Football Betting matchup before you place your bets. The last time USC visited the Beavers, it was beaten 33-31 in a shocking upset. Odds makers at BetUS.com do not foresee any such upsets this time around, installing the USC Trojans as 25-point favorites.
USC is off to a 2-0 start in the 2008 season. All it took was a blowout win at Virginia in week 1 to take the Trojans to the top of the polls. USC followed that up with a home blowout win over then No. 5 Ohio State. Now the Trojans are ready to open up conference play and they home the blowouts continue.
USC begins its quest for its seventh straight Pac-10 title Thursday night and it hopes that Oregon State has ran out of the magic that helped the Beavers upset the Trojans two seasons ago.
The Trojans are coming off a bye week, having not played since crushing then-fifth ranked Ohio State 35-3 in what was supposed to be a battle of two of the best teams in the country (perhaps it would have been closer if Beanie Wells was able to go). USC has only played two games this season, but the convincing fashion in which it has won has experts wondering if this Trojans team is even better than the ones that won back-to-back National Titles in 2003 and 2004 with Heisman Trophy winners Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart.
While USC has been nearly perfect in Pac-10 play during it six-year run of dominance, every year it seems to falter at some point. Last season, USC was beaten twice in Pac-10 play. That was pretty lackluster by USC standards considering that the Trojans are 44-6 in the Pac-10 since their league title run begain in 2002. The Trojans have not dropped a Pac-10 opener since a 34-31 loss in overtimes at Cal in 2003 so its safe to say that USC should be on the winning end of this one.
Last season USC took care of Oregon State 24-3 at home in early November, USC's last trip to Corvallis was not as favorable as the No. 3 ranked Trojans were shocked 33-31 to end their 38-game regular season winning streak. The Trojans' offense and defense are among the nation's best. QB Mark Sanchez thre four touchdown passes against Ohio State and has seven on the season. Running back Joe McKnight hit Ohio State for 105 yards on just 12 carries. Defensively, USC has given up the fewest points in the country and is allowing under 200 yards per game while forcing seven turnovers and sacking the QB seven times. If you like the Trojans to cover the 25-point spread, you can bet the USC Trojans at Bookmaker.com.
Oregon State should benefit from home field and from having an extra week to prepare for the Trojans. The Beavers haven't played since crushing Hawaii 45-7 on September 13. The Beavers exploded in that games as if taking out all of its frustration from a pair of opening losses on the Warriors. Oregon State was beaten 36-28 by Stanford on August 28 and then routed 45-14 at Penn State on September 6.
Oregon State is going to have to be able to run the football effectively to stay in this football game. They'll look to do that with Jacquizz Rodgers who rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns against the Warriors two weeks ago. He has rushed for 209 yards and four touchdowns in the last two games and just might be Oregon State's best back since Steven Jackson.
Rodgers' older brother plays the slot back position and has 13 grabs for 159 yards and a score. Stopping the Rodgers' brother will no doubt be the priority for Pete Carroll's defense. If you think the Beavers have another magical upset in them or can at least give the Trojans a game, bet the Oregon State Beavers at BetUS.com.
Last week alone expert football handicapper Jeff Alexander was a documented 17-10 on his selections and earned his clients +506 units. Get Jeff Alexander's college football betting prediction on the USC vs Oregon State game today!
