College Football: Iowa vs USC Odds, Analysis, & Picks

Two ranked programs collide on Saturday afternoon at the LA Memorial Coliseum as No. 21 Iowa visits No. 17 USC. The kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET. The Hawkeyes dropped to 6-3 in Week 11, losing a nailbiter to the Oregon Ducks at home. As for the Trojans, they improved to 7-2, beating Northwestern 38-17 at the Coliseum. They will be looking for their third straight victory here. Read below for the Iowa vs USC picks. 

Odds provided by Sports Interaction.

Iowa vs USC Odds

USC heads into this matchup as a -250 moneyline favorite at online betting sites. They’re also laying 6.5 points on the spread. Iowa returns as a +200 underdog. The total is set at 49.5 points.

This is the first Big Ten meeting between these two teams, and it’s their first matchup since 2019 when the Hawkeyes won 49-24.

Iowa vs USC Analysis

It’s been a respectable season for Iowa, but they essentially saw their College Football Playoff dreams slip away with the loss to Oregon. At 6-3, it’s unlikely the Hawkeyes will qualify for the tournament, but that doesn’t mean they’re not motivated to respond after a gut-wrenching loss. After putting up 41 points in Week 9, Iowa struggled immensely to produce any offense versus the Ducks, scoring just 16 points.

Overall, offense hasn’t exactly been a strong suit this year. They rank 60th in the country in points with 29.6 per game, and against good programs, the Hawkeyes have failed to produce in the end zone. However, defense is exactly how this group makes a living. Iowa is 4th in the nation in fewest yards allowed and fifth in fewest points allowed, giving up just 13.7 per contest. They will need to bring their absolute best on Saturday while hoping the offense can do just enough to give them a chance.

While Iowa’s CFP dreams look unlikely, USC is still very much alive in the race to make the expanded tournament. The Trojans are five games above .500, with their only losses coming against Illinois and Notre Dame. Iowa, Oregon, and UCLA round out the rest of their schedule. While it won’t be easy, Lincoln Riley’s squad also still has an opportunity to make the Big Ten title game.

USC is led by impressive quarterback Jayden Maiava. He’s thrown for 2,614 yards and 17 touchdowns against six interceptions while also rushing for six touchdowns. He leads one of the most high-octane offenses in the country. The Trojans are second in total yards, ninth in passing yards, and seven in points. They’ve scored at least 30 points in all three home contests this season, even posting 45 points in a Week 4 victory over Michigan State. USC is also 4-1 ATS at home in 2025, and 8-2 ATS in their last 10.

Iowa vs USC Picks

Iowa’s defense has the ability to give USC some trouble and potentially keep this one close. However, the Trojans’ offense is still too good for me to believe they will win by fewer than a touchdown. I’ll take the hosts with the points. 

Pick: USC -6.5 (-115) Sports Interaction