USC upsets Louisville in Holiday Bowl without Caleb Williams

Bowl: DirecTV Holiday Bowl
Who: Louisville vs. USC
When: Wednesday, December 27th, 8:00 ET
Where: Petco Park, San Diego, CA

The USC Trojans (7-5) will take on the Louisville Cardinals (10-3) at Petco Park on Wednesday, December 27, 2023 in the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl. Louisville opens this matchup as 7.5-point favorites. The betting total is set at 58.

There will be no shortage of Online college football betting as the college football season enters its crucial stage, and every game becomes a high-stakes chess match.

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Check more Holiday Bowl odds here.

Spread
Louisville -7.5	-110	-105	-110
USC +7.5	-110	-115	-110

Louisville faced a setback, bringing their record to 10-3 after a recent match against Florida State, which concluded with a 16-6 loss.

The Cardinals have been favored in nine games and the underdog in two, resulting in an ATS record of 5-7 with an average scoring differential of +11.2.

In the offensive effort against Florida State, Louisville secured 10 first downs and gained a total of 188 yards. Through 36 passing attempts, they amassed 111 yards, while the running game contributed 77 yards from 34 rushing attempts.

Not done yet 👊

See you in San Diego for the @DIRECTV_HB!

Bowl Central: https://t.co/kpirHBBnPd
More Info: https://t.co/Ch0cjIoqZ8 #GoCards x #ForTheVille pic.twitter.com/45rXbdGlZA

— Louisville Football (@LouisvilleFB) December 3, 2023

Jack Plummer, against Florida State, threw for 111 yards but did not record a touchdown pass, resulting in a passer rating of 35.76 with a completion percentage of 38.9%.

On the defensive front, Louisville yielded a total of 232 yards to Florida State, with the opponent attempting 21 passes for 55 yards.

The Cardinals also conceded 177 rushing yards on the ground. Defensively, they have recorded 33 sacks and ranked 1st in QB hurries.

Louisville has allowed an average of 19.7 points per game (74th). In terms of pass defense, they stand 58th in the NCAA, allowing 205.4 passing yards per game. Against the run, Louisville has permitted an average of 104.8 rushing yards per contest.

Louisville -7.5 Points DirecTV Holiday Bowl

-105

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USC's recent loss to UCLA brought their overall record to 7-5, with the Trojans suffering a 38-20 defeat. USC has entered eight games as the favorite this season and three as the underdog, resulting in an ATS record of 3-8.

In the passing game against UCLA, the Trojans threw the ball 42 times for 384 yards and one score. They averaged 0.1 yards per carry on the ground and secured one rushing touchdown.

In the loss against UCLA, Quarterback Caleb Williams achieved a QB rating of 99.7, completing 31 of 42 passes for 384 yards and contributing one touchdown.

The Trojans' defense concluded the game by conceding 381 total yards to UCLA, with the run defense allowing 72 yards rushing compared to 309 in the passing game.

Throughout the season, USC's defense has yielded an average of 185.3 rushing yards, ranking them 72nd. Opponents have averaged 255.2 passing yards, with opposing quarterbacks attaining a passer rating of 104.4 when facing USC.

The Trojans currently rank 9th in points allowed in NCAA rankings.

USC +7.5 Points DirecTV Holiday Bowl

-115

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Total Points

Total Points
Over 58 Points	-105	-110	-110
Under 58 Points	-115	-110	-110

Over 13 games for Louisville, the average over/under line stands at 49.5 points, and the combined points in their games have averaged 50.6, leading to an OU record of 6-6.

Over 12 games for USC, the average over/under line for USC's matchups has been 66.6 points. The total score in these games has averaged 76.8 points, leading to an OU record of 8-3.

I'd be surprised to see Caleb Williams on the field, but regardless, we're in for a clash between two of the most brilliant offensive strategists in the game: USC's Lincoln Riley and Louisville's Jeff Brohm.

Caleb Williams will not play in the Holiday Bowl, USC head coach Lincoln Riley announced. pic.twitter.com/iScly7bKnG

— ESPN (@espn) December 4, 2023

While Louisville's offense struggled against Florida State in the ACC title game, it was more a credit to FSU's defense than a flaw in the Cardinal's offensive prowess.

USC's defense is no match for FSU, and the Cardinals should find more success in this matchup. Even without Williams, USC boasts considerable offensive talent.

This game has shootout written all over it and although Lincoln Riley is only 1-4 in bowls, I'm picking USC to win a fun high-scoring game.

Over 58 Points DirecTV Holiday Bowl

-110

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