USC vs. Michigan: Analysis of Intriguing Big Ten Matchup

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00:00You know, let's get set for one of the more key matchups on the

00:02slate. Top 20 tilt in Ann Arbor, USC's Big Ten debut and the Big

00:08Ten opener for the Mays and Blue at home in the big house. And

00:13yet here we are with the Wolverines for a second time

00:16this season as the reigning national title winners, a home

00:20underdog near a touchdown. They got blown out week two by Texas.

00:24They have not covered in non-conference play so far this

00:27season and the Trojans now a five and a half point favorite

00:31against Michigan. When the line opened up during the summer,

00:34Michigan was nearly a double digit home favorite lay in nine

00:37and a half. Maybe the reigning national champs not as good as

00:40we anticipated in their title defense. And maybe Southern Cal

00:43is better than we thought to the first three weeks, two games for

00:46USC to start off this season. So how do you make sense of the

00:50line now with USC lay in five and a half on the road in Ann

00:54Arbor? The number feels right. I mean, look, it's hard to bet

00:58against Michigan at home, particularly because of their

01:00defense. And it's fair to say at this point in time, that USC

01:03hasn't faced a defense of this caliber. I mean, LSU, who they

01:07scored 27 off of, it's an SEC defense, so it's still good. But

01:11it's not one of those things where you look at them and go,

01:14that's as elite defense as Michigan is. Guys, I like the

01:17under here, particularly in the first half as well. Like, if we

01:19do some transitive property here, Texas only managed 31

01:23against the Wolverines. I don't think USC's offense, even with

01:28Mitch Moss playing as well as he has, is at the same level as a

01:31Longhorn. So you have to believe that Michigan can keep them

01:35under 30 here. And do you really trust Michigan's offense to put

01:38up more than 10 to 14 in this game? I don't know that I do. I

01:43think the total is the right number. I just, I would look at

01:46a first half under if this thing doesn't stay under early, it's

01:49not staying under late. And really what it boils down to is

01:51how much can Michigan score? If Michigan gets a 20, this thing

01:53will go over. I just don't think they'll do it there. I think

01:56this is more of a 23-14 kind of final, and that's what happens.