Although the Utes stumbled last week against UCLA, they still might be the second-best team in what has emerged as a top-heavy Pac-12. The Trojans have looked great so far, but have yet to face a ranked opponent and barely got out of Oregon State with a win the only time they faced true resistance. The Utes have covered five straight coming off a loss and the home team is on an 8-3 ATS run in this series. Utah won in Los Angeles by double figures last year. The points are fool's gold in this one.

I think there is great value in taking the points with USC, and it goes beyond underdogs in this series being 4-1 against-the-spread in the last five meetings. Lincoln Riley is doing what he was brought in to do. And it started with changing the culture and bringing in studs through the transfer portal, including QB Caleb Williams, who has only one interception against 14 TD passes. The Trojans lead the nation with a +2.33 turnover margin per game; next best is Louisiana (1.60). I’d lay USC -2 if I had to. Utah's defense looked ragged last week at UCLA. I took the points with the Trojans.

The Utah defense got torched by UCLA last week, and that is why this total is a bit higher than it should be. The Utes got beaten at their own game -- owning the trenches -- last week, but it'll be a little easier to do against the Trojans. Lincoln Riley's team will continue to be opportunistic and limit scoring chances.

Huh? The unbeaten Trojans are on the receiving end against twice-beaten Utah? The Utes are coming off a 10-point beatdown by UCLA that was worse than the score suggests, whereas USC won by 16. Its offense might not be pinging the scoreboard as much as earlier this season but remains scary. More importantly, the defense, hardly a historical strength of coach Lincoln Riley’s teams, is stepping up. Utah’s vaunted run defense has gotten dented of late, which gives Riley some options with QB Caleb Williams, who has slipped but remains in the Heisman Trophy hunt.