Ohio State vs. USC prediction, odds, time: Week 9 college football picks from proven model

SportsLine's model revealed its best bets for Saturday's Big Ten Conference college football matchup of the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. USC Trojans

Oct 31, 2026 at 6:04 pm ET • 2 min read

The second-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes will look to stay unbeaten in Big Ten Conference play when they battle the USC Trojans in a key conference battle on Saturday night. Ohio State is coming off a 19-15 win at Indiana on Oct. 17, while USC dropped a 24-7 decision at Wisconsin in Week 8. The Buckeyes (6-1, 4-0 Big Ten), who have won five in a row, are 2-1 on the road this season. The Trojans (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten), who are seventh in the conference, are 4-1 on their home field in 2026. Visit our Kalshi promo code review and get a $55 bonus after $25+ in trades with the Kalshi promo code CBSSPORTS55:

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at the Los Angeles Coliseum. USC leads the all-time series 13-10-1, but Ohio State earned a 24-7 win in their last meeting at the 2017 Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes are 6.5-point favorites, with the over/under at 50.5 in the latest Ohio State vs. USC odds. The total has dropped 5 points since opening at 55.5. OSU is 5-2 against the spread this season, while Southern Cal is 2-6 versus the line. Before making any USC vs. Ohio State picks, check out the Ohio State vs. USC predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model. 

USC vs. Ohio State odds

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Top Ohio State vs. USC predictions

After simulating Ohio State vs. USC 10,000 times, SportsLine model is going Over 50.5 points at betting apps. The Over has hit in three of the last five Ohio State games. It has also hit in five of the last nine USC matchups. The Buckeyes are the highest scoring team in the conference, averaging 39.3 points per game. USC is seventh in the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 32.8 points.

The model projects that Ohio State quarterback Luke Fahey, a true freshman expected to start in place of the injured Julian Sayin, throws for 270 yards and two touchdowns. USC quarterback Jayden Maiava is expected to throw for over 235 yards and one scores.

The computer is calling for 51 combined points as the Over is the value side 51% of the time. See the model's spread and money-line picks at SportsLine.

How to make USC vs. Ohio State picks

In addition to going Over on the total, the model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations. You can only get the pick at SportsLine. 

So who wins Ohio State vs. USC, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that's on a 68-59 run on top-rated CFB picks, and find out.

Why you should trust SportsLine's model

SportsLine's model simulates every FBS game 10,000 times. It entered Week 9 on a 68-59 run on all top-rated college football picks at betting sites, returning nearly $400 for $100 players. Anybody following its picks on college football betting sites could have seen strong returns.