USC vs Penn State Picks and Prediction for Saturday October 10 2026
Beaver Stadium will be rocking for a Big Ten showdown between the USC Trojans and the Penn State Nittany Lions. Kickoff is scheduled for Saturday October 10th 2026 at 7:30 pm EST. NBC will televise this clash between historic programs. The Nittany Lions are a small -1.5 home favorite and the total is sitting at 54.5. Stay on top of the college football season with our free college football predictions.
USC a Dark Horse College Football Playoff Contender
The USC Trojans breezed through the non-conference portion of their schedule and scored 130 points total in the three victories. The 19th-ranked Trojans (5-1) stumbled versus Oregon by a 41-27 final score, but are still in contention for a College Football Playoff spot. Last week, USC rallied from an 11-point deficit to earn a 25-21 home victory versus Washington.
USC surged ahead on a 48-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Jahkeem Stewart. QB Jayden Maiava threw a ten-yard touchdown pass to Tanook Hines and finished with 245 yards through the air. King Miller contributed 81 rushing yards on 18 carries and Waymond Jordan added a rushing score for the Trojans, who possessed the ball for nearly 35 minutes.
USC ranks sixth in the Big Ten Conference in total offense and averages 37.3 points per game. The Trojans lost defensive coordinator Anton Lynn to Penn State in the offseason and replaced him with longtime TCU head coach Gary Patterson. USC ranks fifth worst in the conference in total defense and gives up 25.5 points on average.
Penn State Looking to Get Back on Track
The Penn State Nittany Lions entered last year ranked second in the nation, but things unraveled quickly. The Nittany Lions (3-2) lost six games and head coach James Franklin was fired midway through the season. Penn State raced out to a 3-0 start and outscored their inferior competition by a 127-22 margin. On Friday, Penn State was gashed for 413 rushing yards during an ugly 34-13 road loss against Northwestern.
Iowa State transfer QB Rocco Behct completed 26 of 41 passes for 243 yards and was intercepted twice. Becht connected with Chase Sowell on a 16-yard touchdown pass midway through the fourth quarter. LB Tony Rojas had 12 tackles, including three tackles for loss and a sack for the Nittany Lions.
Penn State has scored just 33 points in their first two Big Ten Conference losses and averages 400 yards of total offense for the seasons. The Nittany Lions rank 96th in red zone efficiency and have scored just 12 touchdowns in 22 red zone trips. Penn State ranks in the middle of the conference in total defense and is giving up 16 points per contest.
USC vs Penn State Picks and Prediction
Pick: Penn State -1.5
Since 2024, USC is 0-7-1 against the spread when traveling multiple time zones. The Trojans won by seven as a 21.5 point favorite at Rutgers last month. Penn State will be boosted by their annual White Out Game and new head coach Matt Campbell does not want to lose three games in a row. Take the Nittany Lions to win at home.
Pick: Over 54.5
In three Big Ten Conference games, the USC defense has surrendered an alarming total of 97 points. The Trojans are one of the worst tackling teams in the country and the Nittanly Lions will take full advantage. USC head coach Lincoln Riley will scheme up enough on offense to keep things close in what will be a high scoring affair. Take the over.