4* Pac-12 Power Play on USC -9

Arizona State vs. Southern Cal, 11/10/2012 15:00 EDT, Score: 17 - 38

Point Spread: -9/-110 Southern Cal

Sportsbook: BookMaker

Result: Win

4* Pac-12 Power Play on USC -9
USC is 3-1 at home where its only loss was a 62-51 defeat to third-ranked Oregon, who defeated Arizona State 43-21. Its three home wins have come by an average of 33.7 points with each coming by at least 18 points.

Arizona State has hit a rough patch. It has lost three in a row straight up and against the spread since going 5-1 straight up and 5-0-1 against the spread in its first six games. Late season swoons are nothing new to Sun Devil fans. Their team is 1-8 against the spread in its last nine games in the second half of the season and 0-5 against the spread in its last five November contests.

Arizona State has also been a poor investment on the road and in conference play. It is just 2-5-1 against the spread in its last eight road games and 3-7 against the spread in its last 10 conference contests. It is an especially poor 9-24-2 against the spread in its last 35 road games versus a team with a winning home record.

The Trojans have flexed their muscles nearly every year in this matchup for over a decade. They have won 11 of the past 12 meetings. Because of their dominance, last season’s loss at Arizona State can’t be setting well. That defeat should help the Trojans forget about last week’s loss to Oregon and get them focusing on the task at hand.

USC’s last 11 wins against Arizona State have come by an average of 17.0 points.

Plays against road underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points in a conference game involving two explosive offensive teams that average at least 34.0 points per game are 31-10 ATS since 1992. Teams fitting into this system have lost by an average of 14.3 points. Lay the number.