Jim Barnes’ college forecast: Arizona right opponent for USC

Southern California isn’t a bully assemblage shot team, but you tin number connected the Trojans to bushed up lesser competition.

USC is 3-4, but the 3 wins were emphatic — 30-7 implicit San Jose State, 45-14 implicit Washington State and 37-14 implicit Colorado.

Now the Trojans invited the worst squad successful the Pac-12 to Los Angeles connected Saturday for what should beryllium a beatdown.

Arizona is connected a 19-game losing streak, the longest successful the nation. The Wildcats haven’t won since Oct. 5, 2019.

Arizona gave an all-out effort past week but couldn’t clasp disconnected Washington successful a 21-16 loss. It’s hard to spot the Wildcats being capable to muster a akin show connected the roadworthy against USC.

Bettors usually would beryllium loathe to inquire an under-.500 squad specified arsenic the Trojans to screen 21, but that tells you conscionable however outmatched Arizona is.

Lay 21 with USC.

Four much plays for Saturday:

— Michigan State +4: Despite immoderate shaky performances, the Spartans person been a covering instrumentality this season, and they broke a fewer sharps’ hearts erstwhile they someway won -4½ successful a 20-15 triumph astatine Indiana 2 weeks ago. I’ll inactive happily look to slice Michigan State down the stretch, but +4 is excessively enticing with the No. 8 Spartans for Saturday’s top-10 matchup with rival No. 6 Michigan. Like Michigan State, the Wolverines person covered successful each but 1 crippled this season, but this should crook into a grinding, antiaircraft battle. Take much than a tract extremity with the location underdog.

— Georgia Southern +5: The Eagles person mislaid by much than six lone erstwhile successful their seven-game past with Georgia State (3-4 straight-up). Georgia State could beryllium looking up to a conflict with Louisiana (Lafayette), and Georgia Southern has had an other week to prepare.

— Florida Atlantic -11: It has been a magical play for Texas-El Paso, which has clinched vessel eligibility for the archetypal clip since 2014. But the Miners’ wins person travel against the dregs of assemblage shot — New Mexico State, Bethune-Cookman, New Mexico, Old Dominion, Southern Mississippi and Louisiana Tech. When UTEP faced a squad with a pulse, Boise State won 54-13. Florida Atlantic is nary large shakes, but successful the Owls’ 3 location games this season, they’ve won 38-6 against Georgia Southern, 45-14 against Fordham and 58-21 against Florida International. It’s hard to spot the Miners, who person already accomplished their play goal, keeping up.

— Rutgers -1½: A “this enactment doesn’t look right” special. The Scarlet Knights person mislaid 4 successful a row, but they’re favored connected the roadworthy implicit an Illinois squad that conscionable won astatine Penn State? Three of those Rutgers losses were to undefeated Michigan, Ohio State and Michigan State. If the Scarlet Knights tin find immoderate benignant of offense, they should instrumentality attraction of the Illini.

— Last week: 3-2

— Season: 19-20-1

Contact Jim Barnes astatine jbarnes@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV connected Twitter.