USC football 28.5 to 29.5 point favorites vs. Arkansas State

The Trojans kickoff the season with their usual slaughterfest of a mid major. Arkansas State is the sacrificial lamb for Steve Sarkisian, Cody Kessler and company, as USC is favored by over four touchdowns.

USC has never had problems in non-conference play, so this should be a game they handle fairly easily. The Trojans will have a great offense and a lot of defensive talent that should give them a pronounced advantage on mid-major Arkansas State. If USC does struggle to get to this line, it could be a telling sign of how high this USC team can go. They are getting deeper as a squad but they still have not proven they are capable of elite play for long stretches of time.

USC did have trouble finishing games last year, so that is something else to watch for if you think the Trojans will cruise to cover that spread. The Trojans will have to go up quickly to ensure that things go smoothly.