College Football Is Back

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Developing Stories 📰

The college football season kicks off with a high-profile showdown between two ranked teams as the Big Ten faces off against the SEC in the electrifying atmosphere of Las Vegas. On Sunday night, the #23 USC Trojans will face the #13 LSU Tigers in the Vegas Kickoff Classic. USC’s record in the Pac-12 was 8-5 overall record (5-4 in conference) and capped off the year with a 42-28 victory over Louisville in the Holiday Bowl. Meanwhile, LSU finished with a strong 10-3 record, including a 6-2 mark in the SEC, and concluded their season with a thrilling 35-31 win over Louisville in the ReliaQuest Bowl. The two programs have faced off twice before, each winning once on the road. The last encounter saw LSU claim a 23-3 victory in Los Angeles on September 29, 1984.

USC's 8-5 record last season marked a three-win decline from the previous year as they closed out their time in the Pac-12. Now, the Trojans embark on a new journey, transitioning to the Big Ten in 2024. Head coach Lincoln Riley faces the challenge of reloading a team that has lost key talent, including former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams, who was the #1 overall pick by the Bears in the NFL Draft. This season, the Trojans return only five starters on offense—three of whom are on the offensive line—and four on defense, suggesting a potentially tough road ahead as they adjust to their new conference foes. Last year, USC excelled in the passing game, ranking 5th in the nation with 333 yards per game, but struggled on the ground, ranking 91st with an average of 133.9 rushing yards per contest. Offensively, they were 3rd in the FBS, averaging 41.8 points per game, but their defense lagged significantly, ranking 118th out of 133 FBS teams by allowing 34.4 points per contest.

LSU enters this season following back-to-back campaigns with double-digit wins under head coach Brian Kelly, highlighted by their ReliaQuest Bowl victory. The Tigers went 10-3 overall and 6-2 in the SEC but face their own set of challenges with key departures. Last season's Heisman Trophy winner, quarterback Jayden Daniels, was selected #2 overall by Washington in the NFL Draft, right behind Williams. Additionally, the Tigers lost their top two receivers, Brian Thomas Jr. and Malik Nabers, who were both first-round NFL picks. However, LSU returns four starters on a seasoned offensive line, which should help stabilize the offense as new playmakers emerge. Last season, the Tigers boasted the 3rd-best passing offense in the country, averaging 338.9 yards per game through the air, and were 10th in rushing offense with 204.5 yards per contest. LSU led the FBS in scoring offense, averaging 45.5 points per game, while their defense was tied for 78th in the nation, allowing 28 points per contest.

Headlines 🚨

On This Day in Sport History: 1905 Ty Cobb makes his MLB debut for the Detroit Tigers,

1987 Carl Lewis wins gold in 100m after Ben Johnson is disqualified,

2006 Greg Maddux wins his 330th career game.

The Miami Dolphins extend HC Mike Mcdaniel through 2028.

the 49ers and WR Brandon Aiyuk agree to a 4-year $120 million extension.

Chargers Joey Bosa has informed reporters that he broke his hand in a joint practice against the Rams and will require surgery.

4-star WR Jaime French commits to the University of Texas over Miami.

Coco Gauff keeps her US Open title alive after comeback win against Elina Svitolina.

The Pittsburgh Pirates reinstate OF Andrew Mccutchen from injured list.

Trends 📈📉 via Oddsshark

⚾️ Brewers at Reds

• Milwaukee is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games

• Milwaukee is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati

⚾️ Red Sox at Tigers

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Detroit's last 5 games at home

⚾️ Braves at Phillies

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing Philadelphia

⚾️ Padres at Rays

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Diego's last 6 games when playing Tampa Bay

⚾️ Cardinals at Yankees

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of St. Louis's last 6 games on the road

⚾️ Pirates at Guardians

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games

• The total has gone OVER in 6 of Cleveland's last 7 games when playing Pittsburgh

• Cleveland is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing Pittsburgh

⚾️ A’s at Rangers

• Oakland is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games on the road

⚾️ Royals at Astros

• The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games when playing Kansas City

⚾️ Mets at White Sox

• The total has gone UNDER in 6 of NY Mets's last 7 games when playing Chi White Sox

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of NY Mets's last 6 games when playing on the road against Chi White Sox

⚾️ Blue Jays at Twins

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games on the road

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing on the road against Minnesota

• Minnesota is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Toronto

⚾️ Orioles at Rockies

• The total has gone OVER in 4 of Baltimore's last 5 games when playing on the road against Colorado

⚾️ Mainers at Angels

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Seattle's last 5 games when playing LA Angels

⚾️ Dodgers at Diamondbacks

• Arizona is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing LA Dodgers

⚾️ Marlins at Giants

• Miami is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against San Francisco

• Miami is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road

• The total has gone UNDER in 8 of San Francisco's last 10 games when playing Miami

• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Francisco's last 5 games when playing at home against Miami

Public Money 🤑 via VSiN at 9AMCT

⚾️ MLB

35% of bets and 54% of money is on UNDER 7.5 ATL at PHI

46% of bets and 84% of money is on OVER 10 MIL at CIN

59% of bets and 79% of money is on OVER 8.5 PIT at CLE

28% of bets and 46% of money is on OAK +115

58% of bets and 81% of money is on OVER 9 NYM at CHI

53% of bets and 78% of money is on OVER 11 BAL at COL

43% of bets and 64% of money is on ARI +115

🎓🏈 NCAAF

28% of bets and 42% of money is on UNDER 48.5 #1 UGA at #14 CLEM

33% of bets and 50% of money is on UNDER 54 SDSU at #17 OKST

38% of bets and 62% of money is on UNDER 54.5 #18 MIA at UF

37% of bets and 60% of money is on CSU +34

59% of bets and 76% of money is on OVER 56.5 UTM at #19 KST

16% of bets and 36% of money is on FRES +21

45% of bets and 70% of money is on UNDER 47 #7 ND at #9 MICH

Future Odds 🔮 via Bovada Sportsbook

Weekend Picks 🔒

LSU -4 | LSU has a veteran offense that should be able to keep from getting sacked and open up holes for the ground game. USC struggled defensively last season ranking 101st against the pass and 116th against the run.

Arizona -31 | New Mexico scored 31 points in their loss last week, but they'll face a much tougher defense against Arizona compared to Montana State. Arizona returns key defensive players and has strengthened its roster through transfers and recruits. On offense, Arizona brings back its starting quarterback and star receiver, along with new additions that balance their attack with both running and passing threats. After losing to a top FCS team like Montana State, New Mexico will face an even greater challenge against an improved and well-rounded Arizona team.

Clemson +12 | Although Georgia is capable of scoring heavily, Clemson had a strong defense last season. In a potentially low-scoring game, giving up two touchdowns might be too much.

Oklahoma -42 | Temple struggled last season even with a solid quarterback in E.J. Warner, who transferred to Rice. This doesn't bode well for Temple especially against a top-20 team on the road. Although giving up six touchdowns seems like a lot, Temple's offense has been ineffective scoring only seven points in their two games against power conference teams last season. Oklahoma, despite some turnover, has enough offensive firepower to easily cover the spread and score big in this game.