College Football Win Total Betting: Will USC Win 8 Games in Year 1 in the Big Ten?

With action on the diamond and hardwood taking over the airwaves, college football will be (temporarily) put on the back burner. However, for those gridiron fans who want to get ahead of the game, FanDuel Sportsbook has gone live with 2024 college football win totals!

The USC Trojans are officially headed for the Big Ten and life after Caleb Williams. Still, this will be head coach Lincoln Riley's third season in Los Angeles, and Riley has no intentions of slowing down. With that said, what should we expect from USC in the upcoming campaign?

With Williams being selected first overall at the 2024 NFL Draft, the Trojans will have new quarterbacking plans this fall. That lines up senior Miller Moss to "Fight On" as starting signal-caller after two seasons in an understudy role. S.C. fans are well aware of by now, but Moss certainly has game -- the Mission Hills native will look to thrive as the starter.

Before getting any further, let's dive into Southern Cal's upcoming regular-season win total odds at FanDuel Sportsbook and take a look at both perspectives -- the over and the under.

All college football odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. Lines may change after this article is published.

USC Football Win Total Odds

USC Football Over/Under 7.5 Wins

• Over: +100
• Under: -122

USC 2024 Football Schedule

Why USC Could Win Over 7.5 Games (+100)

FanDuel currently shows a mark of 7.5 when it comes to USC's 2024 win total. For over bettors (+100 odds), that number allows just four regular-season losses. Either way, they've won eight or more games each of the past two years, although USC will obviously look a lot different with Williams gone.

The Trojans will get things rolling in 2024 via a neutral-site clash versus the LSU Tigers in "Sin City." With Allegiant Stadium playing host, Coach Riley and S.C. currently find themselves as 6.5-point underdogs in the opener.

If the oddsmakers are correct, USC will start the season 0-1. From there, they'll return to the L.A. Coliseum to play the Utah State Aggies. Respectively, Utah State (-7.5 FPI) lands 102nd on ESPN's College Football Power Index, so I'd say it's a fair estimation to assume the Trojans will start the year at 1-1.

I won't entertain USC defeating the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor on September 21st, but following that bid, the Trojans may be able to build momentum throughout back-to-back games versus the Wisconsin Badgers and at the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Per the latest SP+ rankings, both of those schools have top-25 defenses -- Southern Cal's offense should make for a fun matchup.

As displayed in the most recent Holiday Bowl, Moss has some serious quarterbacking skills. He set an event record by tossing six tuddies to go along with 372 passing yards. Overall, Pro Football Focus gave Moss a grade 90.7 grade in 2023 (five games).

If the Trojans are to navigate the back end of their schedule with prowess, Moss will need to operate in similar fashion. Both of Southern California's top receivers from last season were selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, so that will open the door for Moss to mesh with wideouts Duce Robinson and Zachariah Branch.

October and November will bring tough tests for USC against the Penn State Nittany Lions (Oct. 12), Washington Huskies (Nov. 2) and rival Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Nov. 30). Frankly, the Trojans will need to win at least one of these bids if they are to reach eight regular-season victories.

Why USC Could Win Under 7.5 Games (-122)

With 2024 being Southern Cal's inaugural campaign competing in the Big Ten (along with the league's frigid environments), winning eight or more games will be no small task. Incidentally, FanDuel Sportsbook labels under 7.5 wins with -122 odds -- which carries a 55% implied probability.

As noted, the Trojans' chances in this market are not at all aided by facing LSU and Michigan within the first three weeks. If USC loses both contests, they will essentially tightrope with their win total for the remainder of the campaign. Given the relative competition and increased travel, it will be tough for Southern California to close the year by winning at least seven of their final nine games.

In the previous section, I called attention to arduous games versus Penn State, UDub and Notre Dame. Additionally, USC has a date with the crosstown rival UCLA Bruins (Nov. 23) in Pasadena. For what it's worth, ESPN's FBS post-spring SP+ rankings have the Trojans (21st) placed just five spots ahead of the Bruins (26th); is Southern Cal ready to bring back the Victory Bell after last season's 38-20 loss?

Naturally, FanDuel Sportsbook is also offering odds to win the Big Ten. In that market, the Trojans are listed at 22-to-1, which is currently fifth-shortest. The Ohio State Buckeyes are the favorite here at +160 odds. Remember: the Big Ten will include 17 football institutions in 2024.

USC has been one of the top offensive programs in recent years. That should continue, but the defensive side of the ball could use a rehaul. Last season, the Trojans surrendered a whopping 34.4 PPG. Can Moss and the offense rescue this group as often as his Heisman-winning predecessor did?

Interested in other college football win totals or looking for the latest college football odds? Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook and check out all of the college football betting options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.