With the way college football has been going this offseason, it really feels tough to track which teams are on the rise and which teams aren’t. With that said, no one can argue that the USC Trojans most definitely have seen their odds skyrocket, as Lincoln Riley is the new head coach and Caleb Williams has transferred there too. With that, one Vegas Sportsbook being flooded with USC NCAAF bets, as the Trojans are red hot right now.
That’s right, USC may only have the sixth-best NCAAF odds to win the National Championship this season, but a report states that Westgate over in Sin City has seen USC emerge as a high candidate to win it all. Not only that, but people are laying down money left and right for the Pac-12 team to win the College Football Playoff this season, which would be wild.
No Pac-12 has won the National Championship since the College Football Playoff arrived, but USC really has a strong chance of changing things this winter. However, keep in mind that schools like Alabama, Georgia, and more are ready to try and bring home the glory too. Despite that, USC is a new-look team and the addition of Williams sure has people excited to consistently check their odds through the best rated sportsbooks.
Will it be enough to power USC to a national title? Don’t forget about Jordan Addison also transferring from Pitt to USC as well. This is going to be a high-octane offense and Riley running the show is only going to make things better. More and more bets are going to be coming in on USC, which is exciting for the program. The fact that they’re gaining popularity in Vegas is also fantastic to see.
Alabama remains the favorite to win the natty
While there’s certainly plenty of hype surrounding USC right now, don’t forget that Alabama remains the favorite to win the natty come 2022, as they hold the No. 1 NCAAF National Championship odds. The Trojans made it to the final last season, suffering a tough loss to SEC rivals Georgia with the trophy on the line. This was tough for Nick Saban and Co. to deal with, but now they’re motivated to win it all in 2022.
The big news for Alabama is that Heisman winner Bryce Young will be back with the team next season and he’s surely motivated to make something happen this year. Alabama won the title the year before with Mac Jones running the O. Now, Young is in his second season as the starting quarterback and people can’t wait to see what he’ll be able to get done.
Right now, Alabama holds +180 Las Vegas odds to win the national championship. With USC, their odds are at +2000. This tells you how far apart the oddsmakers think these two teams are, but the fact of the matter here is that the Trojans really flipped things for the better, with the hiring of Riley making a big impact on the program. Only time will tell how things go for him.
Right now, USC needs to make sure they get things rolling in training camp and hold off a program like Oregon when It comes to the Pac-12 title. The Ducks also have a new coach after Mario Cristobal left for Miami, but things are high for this team too. The Ducks have hopes of winning the conference, but USC of course is going to try and prevent them from doing that.
USC moving to the Big Ten is also important
Another thing to keep in mind here is that USC moving to the Big Ten is also important. It was announced earlier this summer that both USC and UCLA are making the move to the Big Ten in 2024. With that, USC only has a few more years in the Pac-12 for football. With that said, now is likely USC’s best chance to try and win a conference and get to the CFP.
The Big Ten is loaded, with teams like Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State always ready to grab one of the coveted spots in the CFP. Life is going to be a lot more tough for USC once they leave the Pac-12. With that said, their best chance to win it all really could be either this season or next. Then after that, things are going to get way more difficult for the SoCal squad.
While people are ready for the future of this USC squad, it really feels like the time is now for the Trojans to make a splash in the college football world. It has felt like forever since the last time USC was high on the national stage, as this team has disappointed in recent years. Only time will tell if Williams and Co. can help get this team back on track, but the potential is there.
USC broke the bank to bring in Riley as well. He’s one of the best coaches in the country and he’s put together a loaded staff for USC. Those assistants will be trusted to dominate out on the recruiting trail. Times sure are exciting for the program as a whole.
With a background as a writer, Rodrigo has managed to bring together his hobbies and education writing sports content for various top-tier sites around the world.