Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. USC Trojans Betting Odds, Analysis, Pick

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will try to beat the USC Trojans for the fourth time in five years when they visit the USC Trojans in their annual rivalry game Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

However, the Fighting Irish are looking to snap a three-game losing streak and have also failed to cover the spread in their past four.

Point spread: Trojans opened as seven-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. (Line updates and matchup report)

College football pick, via Odds Shark computer: 33.5-24.9 Trojans

Why the Notre Dame Fighting Irish can cover the spread

Notre Dame has not been the same team since losing a tough road game against the Florida State Seminoles 31-27 a month ago as seven-point underdogs. That setback was the Fighting Irish’s first of the season and knocked them out of the national title picture due to the fact that their schedule was otherwise pretty weak this year.

This game is another story though, and Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly can surely get his players motivated to play USC. Even though the Fighting Irish do not have a lot of incentive, they will still want to win their last game and head into bowl season on a high note.

Why the USC Trojans can cover the spread

Like Notre Dame, the Trojans have struggled down the stretch, going 1-3 against the spread in their last four games despite winning two of them. They lost one rivalry game to the UCLA Bruins last week 38-20 as 3.5-point underdogs and now get to play another against an Irish team down on its luck.

Regardless of how the team played against the Bruins, USC is still 6-3 against the spread in its last nine home games and will be out for revenge after losing the last two meetings with Notre Dame, falling 22-13 in the most recent game between the teams at the Coliseum two years ago.

Smart Pick

The side in this game is too tough to call, especially with the Trojans laying a touchdown based on the opening line. Instead, the total looks like a more solid play, with the under going 4-0 in the past four head-to-head matchups between the teams.

The under has also cashed in the last four games for USC overall, as the offense has been inconsistent. Granted, the Irish have seen their last six games go over the total, but this rivalry game with the Trojans has seen the winner total more than 22 points only once in the previous four years.

The loser between them has not scored more than 17 in the last four meetings either, so look for another low-scoring affair and play the under.

Betting Trends

• Notre Dame is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games when playing Southern Cal
• Southern Cal is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games at home
• Road team has won five of seven meetings in this series

All point spread and lines data courtesy of Odds Shark, all quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates and get the free odds tracker app.