USC football: 3 bold Trojans predictions for Pac-12 clash vs. Oregon State

Week 4 of the college football season is here, and conference play is starting to heat up. This week’s schedule features some excellent matchups, including heavyweight showdowns in the SEC and ACC. College football fans may have to stay up late for Saturday’s 9:30 game between No. 7 USC and Oregon State, one of the most interesting matchups of the week.

The Trojans have emerged as Pac-12 favorites after a 3-0 start in Lincoln Riley’s first season, largely due to Caleb Williams and the high-flying offense. Meanwhile, the Beavers have also started 3-0 for the first time since 2014 but still remain unranked.

This game provides a big test for both teams. The Trojans are looking to jump out to a 2-0 start in conference play, while the Beavers are looking to prove they’re legit with a massive upset. With that in mind, let’s make some USC football bold predictions for this late-night showdown.

3. Jordan Addison has two touchdown catches

USC may have had the best offseason of any team in college football. The Trojans not only got a star coach and Riley and a star quarterback in Williams, but they also got Addison, the best wideout in the transfer portal. The former Pitt receiver was coming off a stellar season with 100 catches for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns, and teams were lining up to secure his services.

After weeks of speculation, Addison decided to take his talents to SoCal for this season. He has been as dynamic as advertised so far, with 18 catches for 295 yards and five touchdowns through three games. He has shown no sign of slowing down, and he could be in for another big game on Saturday.

Oregon State is allowing 215.3 passing yards per game this season, third-most in the Pac-12. They have also played three relatively weak opponents, Boise State, Fresno State and Montana State, an FCS team. The Trojans’ passing attack is the best the Beavers have seen by a landslide, and their defense needs to be ready.

Addison could easily take advantage of an unproven Beavers secondary. He had two touchdowns in each of USC’s first two games, along with one in the third. Expect him to find the end zone at least twice on Saturday night.

2. Caleb Williams throws for 300 yards and three touchdowns

Another part of USC’s stellar offseason, Williams has also been electric in his short time in SoCal. Through three games, he is completing nearly 75 percent of his passes for 874 yards and eight touchdowns, all without a single interception. Williams looks even better than he did in Oklahoma, and the continuity with Riley has certainly helped.

Oregon State is a decent team, but probably won’t be able to slow Williams down from his torrid pace. Expect another big game from him on Saturday, throwing for over 300 yards and three scores for the Trojans.

1. USC football wins by 10

Despite USC far outclassing Oregon State in terms of talent, the Trojans are only mild favorites heading into this game. Fanduel Sportsbook has the Trojans as 5.5-point favorites, and ESPN’s Football Power Index gives them a 71.1 percent chance of winning.

The skepticism isn’t entirely unwarranted, though. Oregon State beat USC pretty convincingly last season, winning 45-27 on the road. The Beavers are also the best team the Trojans have faced so far, and the step up in competition may catch them off guard.

However, Riley will have his team ready to win this game. USC football should be able to win this game by a decent margin, but not in a blowout. Through their superior talent and coaching, the Trojans should be able to win this game by double digits.