The Stanford Cardinal own the upper hand in the recent rivalry with USC, winning six of the last eight meetings straight up, going 5-3 against the spread, including a victory/cover in last year's Pac-12 Championship Game. In a meeting with big implications for the Pac-12 races, the Trojans pay a visit to the Cardinal on Saturday.
Point spread: The Cardinal opened as 6.5-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. (Line updates and matchup report)
College football pick, via Odds Shark computer: 35.2-23.6 Cardinal (College football picks on every game)
Why the USC Trojans can cover the spread
Southern Cal rebounded from that season-opening blowout at the hands of Alabama to beat Utah State last week 45-7, covering as a 16-point favorite.