USC Trojans' Unexpected Betting Odds vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers Released

The USC Trojans are 5-2, coming off their second bye week. USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans will next face the Nebraska Cornhuskers on the road, and the betting odds could be seen as unexpected

Jan 9, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley walks the field before the CFP national championship game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Georgia Bulldogs at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans are 5-2, going 3-1 in Big Ten conference play. The Trojans are coming off their bye week, looking to shake off a week 8 loss. USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans will next face the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday, Nov. 1.

Betting Odds

The USC Trojans are 6.5-point favorites on the road against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on FanDuel Sportsbook. The moneyline for USC is -240, and the point total is set at 57.5.

Sep 13, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley stands on the sidelines during the first quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

USC’s Offense To Get Back On Track

The USC Trojans have a talented run game, but they struggled against the No. 12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The offense could not gain momentum rushing the ball. The Trojans averaged just 2.3 total yards per run. Freshman running back King Miller led the game with just 70 rushing yards. 

Miller now totals 380 rushing yards and three touchdowns. The offense bouncing back with the ground game will be something to watch. With running back Waymond Jordan out at least four weeks, Miller will have to continue to step up for the Trojans.

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava threw two interceptions against Notre Dame, and how he bounces back will be something to watch. Maiava totals 2,180 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and four interceptions this season. He also has 41 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

Oct 18, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) drops back to throw the ball in the first half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Notre Dame did well to shut down wide receiver Makai Lemon, but he still leads the team with 758 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Ja’Kobi Lane stepped up in week 8, currently No. 2 in receiving yards (424) and three touchdowns.

USC's Defense To Fix Errors

One of the biggest critiques coming out of the matchup against Notre Dame was the defense’s inability to stop the run. They allowed Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love to run for 228 yards, a career high.

“We’re doing a couple things on the field as a whole team, actually. Working on tackling and just the regular techniques of football,” USC defensive end Braylan Shelby said heading into the bye.

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The Trojans have a talented roster on defense, but must fix their mechanics to win more games. The Trojans’ leading tackler is linebacker Eric Gentry, who has 48 total tackles, three sacks, and three forced fumbles.

Safety Bishop Fitzgerald has also been a big player for USC, totaling 40 tackles, one sack, and five interceptions. The Trojans have the players to make the plays, but they have to execute on the field.

Nebraska To Continue Momentum?

Oct 17, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule looks on during the second half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Nebraska Cornhuskers are 6-2, 3-2 in Big Ten conference play, coming off a win against the Northwestern Wildcats. The Cornhuskers are a talented team, but their two losses came against the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the No. 25 Michigan Wolverines.

The biggest challenge for the Trojans will be at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. Fortunately, it is not an early kickoff, set for 4:30 p.m. PT.

Nebraska is led by quarterback Dylan Raiola, who totals 1,909 yards, 17 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He has been sacked 26 times, presenting a big opportunity for USC’s defense to step up.

Nebraska’s leading receiver is wide receiver Nyziah Hunter, who has totaled 525 yards and five touchdowns. Wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr. is also having a big season, totaling 378 yards and three touchdowns.

Running back Emmett Johnson leads the team with 837 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. With USC’s struggle against the run, the Trojans will have to step up early to shut down Johnson.

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Defensively, USC will have to watch for linebacker Javin Wright, who leads the team with 52 tackles and 0.5 sacks. Defensive back DeShon Singleton is also a big player to watch for, totaling 39 tackles and two interceptions.

Nebraska's defense totals just 12 sacks, and with the bye week giving USC’s offensive line time to recover, the Trojans' offense has a chance to get back to its explosiveness.

The USC Trojans and Nebraska Cornhuskers will kick off on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 4:30 p.m. PT. The game will be held at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.

• Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. 
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