USC vs. Northwestern prediction, odds, line, time: Week 11 college football picks by proven model

The 19th-ranked USC Trojans will look to stay in the Big Ten title chase when they battle the Northwestern Wildcats on Friday night. USC is coming off a 21-17 win at Nebraska this past week, while Northwestern dropped a 28-21 decision at Nebraska on Oct. 25. The Wildcats (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten), who are tied for eighth in the conference, are 1-2 on the road this season. The Trojans (6-2, 4-1 Big Ten), who are tied for fourth, are 4-0 on their home field in 2025. USC running back Waymond Jordan (ankle) is doubtful.

Kickoff from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is at 9 p.m. ET. USC leads the all-time series 5-0. The teams last met in the 1996 Rose Bowl, which the Trojans won 41-32. The Trojans are 13.5-point favorites in the latest Northwestern vs. USC odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 51.5 via SportsLine consensus. Before making any USC vs. Northwestern picks, check out the college football predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model. 

New users can target the DraftKings promo code, which offers $300 in bonus bets if your bet wins + 3 months of NBA League Pass:

The model simulates every FBS game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a betting profit of over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college spread football picks. Anybody following its college football betting picks at sportsbooks and on betting sites could have seen strong returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Northwestern vs. USC. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the FBS college football odds and trends for USC vs. Northwestern:

Why USC can cover

Junior quarterback Jayden Maiava powers the Trojans' offense. In eight games, he has completed 154 of 236 passes for 2,315 yards and 15 touchdowns with five interceptions. He has also rushed 34 times for 103 yards and five scores. In a 45-31 win over Michigan State on Sept. 20, he completed 20 of 26 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns. He also carried four times for 31 yards and two touchdowns.

With Jordan likely out, the rushing attack will be spearheaded by freshman running back King Miller. He is coming off a solid effort in the win over Nebraska. In that game, he carried 18 times for 129 yards and one touchdown. He had 18 carries for 158 yards and a score in a 31-13 win over Michigan on Oct. 11. In seven games this season, he has carried 65 times for 509 yards (7.8 average) and four touchdowns. See which team to back at SportsLine. 

Why Northwestern can cover

Helping lead the Wildcats' offense is senior quarterback Preston Stone. The transfer from SMU is in his first season with the program. In eight games, he has completed 126 of 216 passes (58.3%) for 1,372 yards and 10 touchdowns with nine interceptions. In a 22-21 win over Penn State on Oct. 11, he completed 17 of 26 passes for 163 yards and one touchdown.

Sophomore running back Caleb Komolafe also gives the offense a boost. In eight games, he has carried 124 times for 608 yards (4.9 average) and seven touchdowns. In the loss at Nebraska, he carried 17 times for 125 yards and two touchdowns. He had 27 carries for 119 yards and one score in a 17-14 win over UCLA. See which team to back at SportsLine.

New users can also check out the latest FanDuel promo code and get $150 in bonus bets at FanDuel if your $5 bet wins. 

How to make USC vs. Northwestern picks

SportsLine's model is going Over on the total, projecting 56 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations. You can only get the pick at SportsLine. 

So who wins USC vs. Northwestern, and which side of the spread hits in well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Northwestern vs. USC spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that finished up over $2,000 on its FBS college football picks since its inception, and find out.