USC and Penn State are Big Ten opponents. This page tracks how sportsbooks have priced their meetings: where the line opened, how it moved, how far prices differed between books and how each game finished. OddsBay records every price from the first line to kickoff, and we add each new meeting to the record below.

USC vs Penn State: the OddsBay record

Lines are the median price across the sportsbooks OddsBay tracks. “Open” is the first widely available line, about a week before kickoff, and “Close” is the line at kickoff.

October 10, 2026: USC at Penn State (night game)

  • Spread: Penn State −1.5 at open, USC −0.5 at close
  • Total: 58.5 at open, 54.5 at close
  • Final: USC 31, Penn State 23
  • Result: USC won by 8; the game went under (54 points)
Line chart of the Penn State spread before the Oct 10, 2026 game, from −1.5 to +0.5 at the close
Penn State spread before the October 10, 2026 meeting, median of the sportsbooks tracked by OddsBay. Final: USC 31, Penn State 23; USC won by 8.

Next meeting

Conference schedules rotate, so these teams do not necessarily play every season. This page will be updated when they meet again. Compare live college football prices on the OddsBay price finder.

How the last meeting was priced

Penn State was a 1.5-point home favorite for most of the week. By kickoff the market was split: books closed anywhere from Penn State −1.5 to USC −1.5, with the median a pick’em. The total fell four points, from 58.5 to 54.5.

USC won 31–23. The 54 points landed just under the closing total, by half a point, and over every earlier number.

Our guides to line movement and implied probability explain how to read these numbers.

Line shopping in this matchup

At kickoff, OddsBay tracked moneyline prices from 41 sportsbooks:

  • USC moneyline (won): from −125 at the worst book to +100 at the best. A winning $100 bet paid $20 more at the best price.
  • Penn State moneyline: from −120 to +100.
  • A split market: at kickoff, 7 books had Penn State −1.5, 7 had a pick’em and 15 had USC favored by 1 or 1.5. Both moneylines could be found at even money (+100).
Chart of moneyline prices at kickoff across sportsbooks: USC (won) from −125 to +100; Penn State from −120 to +100
Worst and best moneyline prices at kickoff on October 10, 2026, across the sportsbooks tracked by OddsBay.

College football prices tend to vary more between books than NFL prices. Our line shopping guide shows how to compare them, and the vig guide explains why books differ.

What makes USC vs Penn State different to bet

  • Key numbers matter less. In 549 college football games OddsBay recorded, 3 was the most common margin (9.5%) and 7 the second (7.1%), but 40% of games were decided by 21 or more. Half points around 3 and 7 still count, just less than in the NFL. See our college football key numbers guide.
  • Home field is already in the price. Home teams won 63.5% of 543 college football games we recorded but covered the spread only 50.7% of the time. Our guide to home-field advantage explains why.
  • Rankings are not prices. Favorites won 76.9% of 545 games we recorded but covered only 46.7%. See rankings vs betting markets and our guide to rivalry games.
  • Pick’em games. When the spread is close to zero, the spread and the moneyline are almost the same bet. Compare both, and take whichever pays more for the same result. Our moneyline guide explains the difference.

What to check before the next meeting

  1. Quarterbacks and injuries. Confirm who is starting and which key players are out.
  2. Weather. For outdoor games, check the wind forecast for game day.
  3. Where the line sits. Note what each half point costs.
  4. Prices across books. Compare the moneyline, spread and total on the odds comparison before betting.
  5. Your bet against the close. After the game, compare the price you took with the closing line. Our guide to the closing line explains why.

More college football matchup guides

Big Ten: Iowa vs Michigan, Ohio State vs Iowa, Iowa vs Washington, Oregon vs USC, Washington vs USC, Penn State vs Michigan

SEC: Georgia vs Alabama, Auburn vs Tennessee, Ole Miss vs Florida, Texas A&M vs LSU, Texas vs Oklahoma, Texas vs Tennessee, Alabama vs Tennessee, Auburn vs Georgia

Big 12: Iowa State vs BYU, BYU vs TCU, Kansas vs Kansas State

ACC: Miami vs Clemson, Florida State vs Miami, North Carolina vs Duke

Betting responsibly

Rivalry games attract emotional bets. Decide your stake in advance (our guide to bankroll management shows how) and treat betting as entertainment. If gambling stops being fun, help is available: in the United States, the National Problem Gambling Helpline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 1-800-MY-RESET.

Key takeaways

  • USC and Penn State are Big Ten opponents; their meetings depend on the conference schedule.
  • In the October 10, 2026 meeting, the line moved from Penn State −1.5 to a pick’em and the total from 58.5 to 54.5; USC won 31–23 and the game went under by half a point.
  • Both moneylines reached +100 at the best books.

Frequently asked questions

Who won the last USC vs Penn State game?

USC beat Penn State 31–23 on October 10, 2026, in a game that closed as a pick’em. This page is updated after each meeting.

Do USC and Penn State play every year?

Not necessarily. Conference schedules rotate, so check the current schedule. When they meet again, we add the game to the record on this page.