Favorite 'Dogs: Back USC at Notre Dame, Giants at Denver

Last weekend in the NFL, we saw 11 of the 12 favorites win outright. 

That's not going to stop us from wagering on at least one underdog on the pro side this week.

But first, let’s step foot on campus to see which ‘dog I’m backing in college football before taking a look ahead to NFL Sunday.

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No. 20 USC @ No. 13 Notre Dame

I’m not sure that we’ll see any upsets as stunning as the two that Penn State suffered the last two weeks. But perhaps Notre Dame, the team it lost to in last year’s College Football Playoff, has cause for concern Saturday. 

In a game that will have massive Playoff implications, USC visits Notre Dame in the latest version of this storied rivalry. 

The Irish have brushed aside an 0-2 start and strung together four straight wins. A win on Saturday would make them clear favorites to return to the CFP, while a loss would all but end those hopes for the defending national title runner-up.  

USC is coming off an impressive win over Michigan, and a win here would give the Trojans a realistic path to being one of the 12 Playoff teams. 

I like the Trojans here. They have an elite offense, maybe the best in the country. And that's highlighted by two potential first-round picks in quarterback Jayden Maiava and wide receiver Makai Lemon. The Notre Dame defense appears to be hitting its stride, but it’s still a unit that allowed 41 points to Texas A&M and 30 points to Purdue, before getting back on track the last couple of weeks. 

That defense, however, will be tested this week, as the Irish face a USC offense that is No. 1 in the country in yards per play and points per game. In what is a huge matchup, expect plenty of scoring from an elite USC offense and enough stops from an improved USC defense. 

That all adds up to what should be a very competitive game. I believe USC covers and has a chance to pull off the upset.

PICK: USC (+7.5) to lose by fewer than 7.5 points or win outright

Giants @ Broncos

The Broncos just defeated one New York team, winning a 13-11 scrum over the Jets. Now, they look to beat the suddenly resurgent Giants, who have now won two out of their last three and seem to be showing some signs of hope with the rookie duo of quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Cam Skatebo. 

After a 17-point upset win over the Eagles last week, the Giants now head to Denver to take on the Broncos and will do so having the benefit of extra rest. They haven't played since last Thursday night. 

Meanwhile, the Broncos will be traveling back from London and are coming off a game where they registered just 12 first downs and only slightly over four yards per play. 

We saw last week a similar rest-travel discrepancy, where the Browns were coming back from overseas to play a Steelers team with extra rest. The Steelers won and covered comfortably. Granted, the Steelers are much better than the Browns and the same can’t be said here for the Giants and their opponent. But I’ll take the extra rest and prep time with a team that’s getting seven points. 

Expect the Giants to continue to improve and look for this game to be close.

PICK: Giants (+7) to lose by fewer than 7 points or win outright

Will Hill, a contributor on the Bear Bets Podcast, has been betting on sports for over a decade. He is a betting analyst who has been a host on VSiN, as well as the Goldboys Network.

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