Iowa vs. USC Prediction, Odds and Key Players to Watch for College Football Week 12

Iowa nearly pulled off a major upset in Week 11.

Jayden Maiava and USC are favored against Iowa on Saturday. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Two ranked Big Ten teams will face off at LA Memorial Coliseum this weekend. No. 17 USC will host No. 21 Iowa on Saturday as a seven-point home favorite after bouncing back from its loss to No. 10 Notre Dame with a dominant victory against Northwestern. Iowa will enter this matchup following a loss, though.

No. 7 Oregon edged out the Hawkeyes with a game-winning field goal in Week 11, so it appears like visitors could have enough to take down a lesser top-25 team. Iowa has a top-five run and pass defense in the Big Ten, but no team in the conference is generating more yards of offense per game than the Trojans. 

Here’s our full betting preview ahead of kickoff.

Iowa vs. USC Odds, Spread and Total

Spread

• Iowa: +7 (-112)
• USC: -7 (-108)

Moneyline

• Iowa: +205
• USC: -250

Total: 49.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook

Iowa vs. USC How to Watch

• Date: Saturday, November 15
• Game Time: 3:30 PM EST
• Venue: LA Memorial Coliseum 
• How to Watch (TV): 
• Iowa record: 6-3
• USC record : 7-2

Iowa vs. USC Key Players to Watch

Iowa

Mark Gronkowski: Gronkowski doesn’t have the most impressive passing stats with five passing touchdowns and four interceptions this season, but he has rushed for at least one touchdown in every game this year. He leads the Hawkeyes with 12 rushing touchdowns this year. Expect him to continue finishing off drives against USC this weekend. 

USC

Jayden Maiava: Maiava is powering the Big Ten’s most productive passing offense on a per-game basis. The Trojans are racking up 303.0 passing yards per game and only Rutgers has totaled more passing yards than them in the Big Ten this season. Maiava has thrown multiple touchdowns passes in five of his previous six games and will need to have another strong performance to beat Iowa’s sturdy defense.

Iowa vs. USC Prediction and Pick

The Hawkeyes and Trojans are enjoying success against the spread in the back half of the season.

Iowa has covered in six of its previous seven games while going a perfect 2-0 against the spread on the road. USC has rebounded from a one patch that saw it lose against the spread in three straight contests and has now covered three times over the last four weeks. 

The Hawkeyes’ defense will likely be the deciding factor here, though. They’ve already held two of the Big Ten’s top-three scoring offenses to 20 points or less this season and covered in both matchups. 

Iowa will likely lose this game, but can generate enough stops to fall short by less than a touchdown.

PICK:  Iowa +7 (-112 at DraftKings Sportsbook)

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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