The USC Trojans and Purdue Boilermakers are set for their first meeting since 1998 on CBS and Paramount+ this Saturday. Both teams are gearing up for their Big Ten conference openers, facing Power 4 rivals for the first time this season. The Trojans, currently 2-0, recently secured a decisive 59-20 victory over Georgia Southern, while the Boilermakers, also at 2-0, triumphed over Southern Illinois with a score of 34-17 in Week 2 of the season.

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana. The latest odds indicate that USC is favored by 20.5 points, with an over/under of 59.5 total points. Prior to making your picks for the USC vs. Purdue matchup, check out predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model here.

Why USC Can Cover

Although we are early in the season, USC’s offense has the potential to rank among the best in college football. They lead the nation in total offense and yards per play, sitting second in scoring offense. Running back Waymond Jordan, a highly-rated JUCO transfer, is averaging an astonishing 10 yards per carry. Quarterback Jayden Maiava has contributed with one rushing touchdown alongside six touchdown passes. Defensively, the Trojans have recorded nine sacks and four turnovers.

Why Purdue Can Cover

While USC has shown dominance, they have vulnerabilities, as shown in the game against Georgia Southern which managed to complete three touchdown passes and gain 142 rushing yards against them. Purdue is led by new coach Barry Odom, who emphasizes defensive strategies and has had success against FBS opponents, having previously blanketed Ball State 31-0 in their opener.

Key Betting Information

• Spread: USC -20.5 at DraftKings Sportsbook
• Over/Under: 59.5 points
• Money Line: USC -1515, Purdue +862

You can find more analysis and picks from the SportsLine model as it has gone through 10,000 simulations of this game.