Colorado vs. USC score prediction by college football computer model
The bandwagon returns to Boulder after a tough 42-6 loss on the road in the Pac-12 opener, and now Colorado, 3-1 on the season and out of the rankings, and dealing with some prominent injuries, is back on campus against No. 8 ranked, undefeated USC in college football's Week 5 action on Saturday.
What can we expect when things kick off? Let's check in on how the SP+ prediction model devised by ESPN analyst Bill Connelly projects the matchup, along with the latest betting information for the Week 5 game.
USC vs. Colorado predictions
USC vs. Colorado picks, predictions
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Score prediction
This week could be another tough one for the Buffaloes, as the SP+ simulations currently favor USC to defeat Colorado by a projected score of 46 to 19, an estimated scoring margin of 26.2 points for the Trojans, who have a strong 94 percent chance to win the game outright.
Point spread
USC comes into the game as 21.5 point favorites against Colorado, according to the lines at SI Sportsbook, which set the total at 74 points for the matchup.
If you're betting on the game using this projection, you should take USC to cover the 21.5 point spread, win outright on the moneyline at -2000, and hit the under.
Computer predictions
Other analytic tools also project a strong showing for the Trojans. That includes the College Football Power Index, a computer projection tool that simulates games 20,000 times using a wide variety of data to pick winners and scoring margins.
The index favors USC to win the game in 89.7 percent of its projections, amounting to 17,940 of its 20,000 simulations outright. Colorado wins the remaining 10.3 percent of sims, or the other 2,060 total projections.
Where the bets are
A slight majority of bettors, 52 percent of them, are predicting that Colorado will either pull off the upset or stay within the 21.5 point spread in a loss. The other 48 percent of wagers side with USC to cover the line.
A virtual consensus, just about 100 percent of bets, say the game total will go over 74 points combined.
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USC at Colorado schedule
When: Sat., Sept. 30
Time: 10 a.m. MT, 9 a.m. PT
TV: Fox network
Stream live: fuboTV (Try for free)
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