2 Best College Football Bets and Player Props for USC at Illinois

The No. 23 Illinois Fighting Illini are looking to bounce back following an embarrassing 63-10 defeat to the No. 11 Indiana Hoosiers in Week 4 by returning home to face the No. 21 USC Trojans in Week 5. While the Fighting Illini have fallen to 3-1, the Trojans have cruised to a 4-0 record, but are they a legitimate contender for the college football playoff this season?

Ahead of Saturday's USC-Illinois clash that kicks off at noon ET, let's take a look at which bets make sense in this Big Ten showdown.

All college football betting odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

USC at Illinois Betting Picks

Over 60.5 (-115)

The Trojans faced their toughest test of the season in last week's 45-31 victory over the Michigan State Spartans in a game where they started off fast with a 31-10 lead before allowing things to get a bit interesting. USC's offense shouldn't have much trouble moving the ball, and I believe Illinois features a better offense than Michigan State, so there should be points galore in Saturday's matchup.

At the moment, the Trojans lead the nation in expected points added per play (0.49), yards per play (10.18), and offensive success rate (58.4%). On the other hand, the Fighting Illini are 50th in expected points added per play (0.11) and 36th in offensive success rate (46.9%), and I'm skeptical of the Trojans' defense being as dominant as they've been against inferior opponents.

There has been just one USC game this year that ended with fewer than 76 points, and that came in a road contest versus the Purdue Boilermakers. With head coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans beginning a tough stretch of their schedule, they can't afford to take their foot off the gas versus a Fighting Illini team that is hoping to put their lopsided loss to the Hoosiers behind them as soon as possible.

Jayden Maiava Over 269.5 Passing Yards (-114)

As mentioned above, the Trojans are an explosive offense that has no issues generating chunk plays. Quarterback Jayden Maiava has been extremely efficient for USC to begin the season, and we should expect him to sling the ball around even more against Illinois.

In addition to Maiava posting 282-plus passing yards in three of his first four starts in 2025, USC is first in expected points added per drop back (0.75), second in yards per drop back (13.13), and third in passing success rate (60.7%). Maiava also has three pass catchers with 10-plus targets (Makai Lemon, Ja'Kobi Lane, and Lake McRee) who are averaging 18-plus yards per reception, and the Fighting Illini struggled to limit explosive plays against the Hoosiers.

During last week's blowout loss to Indiana, Illinois' defense allowed Fernando Mendoza to complete 21 of his 23 passes for 267 yards and 5 touchdowns. On the season, the Fighting Illini are 75th in expected points added per drop back allowed (0.01) and 74th in yards per drop back allowed (6.43), putting Maiava in a good spot in what should be a high-scoring affair.

Get a 50% Profit Boost Token to use on any wager for any college football game taking place on September 27th! See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

Looking for the latest college football odds? Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook and check out all of the college football betting options.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.