Arizona Wildcats open as significant underdog at USC

The Arizona Wildcats will get another crack at a top-10 team and Heisman candidate quarterback when they face the USC Trojans in Los Angeles this Saturday.

Like their game against Washington, the Wildcats have the odds stacked against them.

Arizona has opened as a 22-point underdog to the Trojans, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. No over/under has been listed.

The game is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. MST on ESPN.

Arizona is coming off an impressive cover, falling to Washington 31-24 despite being 19-point ‘dogs. The Wildcats are now 4-1 against the spread (ATS) this season, with the only failed cover coming in a 21-20 win at Stanford.

USC, on the other hand, is 2-3 ATS and has failed to cover in its last two games. The Trojans were 21.5-point favorites at Colorado but managed to win by a touchdown. The week prior, USC was a 34.5-point favorite at ASU but only won by 14 points.

The Wildcats have given the Trojans trouble in the past couple seasons. Arizona has covered three straight games in the series, keeping USC within one score in each of those affairs.

The last time Arizona visited LA Memorial Coliseum, in 2021, the Wildcats lost to USC 41-34 as 21.5-point underdogs.

Arizona 0-10 overall against USC dating back to 2013. The Wildcats’ last win over the Trojans came in 2012. Their last win in LA was in 2009.

This week’s spread is made more difficult by Arizona’s uncertainty at the quarterback position. Noah Fifita started at quarterback against Washington in place of the injured Jayden de Laura. Fifita threw for 232 yards on three touchdowns and one interception.

de Laura’s status against USC likely won’t be known until late in the week, and even if he’s healthy, Arizona may opt to start Fifita.

Bettor beware.

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.