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USC football odds: Vegas favors 2017 Trojans in every game

By Michael Castillo

Nov 26, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USC Trojans head coach Clay Helton leads his players onto the field for the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USC Trojans head coach Clay Helton leads his players onto the field for the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /
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As if the 2017 USC football team needed more pressure, early lines have the Trojans favored to win every game on their schedule.

With the college football season looming, oddsmakers in Las Vegas have begun to form advanced betting lines for several marquee matchups, including multiple involving USC football.

The Golden Nugget got in on the act last week, opening their book by posting more than 100 college football lines. Lo and behold, the Trojans are featured early and often, and in quite the favorable light.

Here are the Golden Nugget’s lines involving USC, via the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

  • USC (-9) vs. Stanford
  • USC (-12.5) vs. Texas
  • USC (-10) at Washington State
  • USC (-20) vs. Utah
  • USC (-8) at Notre Dame
  • USC (-13.5 ) at Colorado
  • USC (-15.5) vs. UCLA

Even though the seven games selected are their seven toughest games, it’s no surprise USC is in favored in every game listed. The historically Vegas-beloved Trojans are coming off a big Rose Bowl win, and have a ton of offseason hype surrounding the return of Sam Darnold.

Barring unforeseen injuries, poor play or an opponent performing at a higher level than expected, they’ll likely be picked to win all 12 regular season games by the oddsmakers. If nothing else, it’s true for now, as USC would surely be favored in their five unchosen games against the likes of Western Michigan and Cal.

READ MORE: Ranking USC’s 2017 Opponents By Threat Level

But the role of continuous favorite doesn’t necessarily mean the Trojans should or will win every game, only that each individual matchup favors SC. It’s the point spreads themselves worth noting.

Are the size of the lines in the right ballpark? Bill Connelly’s advanced metrics say yes. Even for the big 20-point line over Utah.

SB Nation’s resident analytics guru has USC favored to win each game, albeit with a cumulative 9.6 win total. Here’s how Connelly’s S&P+ projected margin of victory compares to the Golden Nugget’s advanced lines:

Metric projections and betting lines serve two drastically different purposes. But their relative agreement on USC should only add further clout behind the Trojans’ College Football Playoff expectations in 2017.

RELATED: USC’s Best Shot to Win a National Championship is in 2017

But what say you?

Is there a line that sticks out as being too high or too low? Have your say in the comments below.

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