The ratings for these teams are going in opposite directions as their QB questions now have answers. WSU graduate transfer Gardner Minshew has been everything coach Mike Leach had hoped for, while freshman T.J. Daniels has struggled for USC. The Trojans have lost their last two and gone 0-3 ATS this season. USC would have been at least -13 before the season. Washington State plus the points is the play.

I could give you some kind of statistic or trend that would explain this pick if I had one that mattered, but I don't. The truth is that after seeing this USC offense play three games this season I'm just taking the Under. It's been awful, and I haven't seen any signs to show me it's going to get better.

Washington State’s scheduling playbook calls for opening with cupcakes. The Cougars have rolled up a 131-45 points for/against amount, but its victims were Wyoming, San Jose State and Eastern Washington. Though USC has stumbled out of the box, it has been toughened up by Stanford and Texas the past two Saturdays. True frosh QB JT Daniels is developing, if painstakingly slowly, and will find the Coogs’ defense less daunting. Nice of the spread to shrink from 5.5 even with Wash State’s 3-7 ATS slump on the road.