Good point Jpicks, everyone on SC.
The MOST important thing I have learned in my short time in capping is identifying the KNOWNS VS. THE UNKOWNS OR STAYING AWAY FROM ALL UNCERTAINTY.
-----the hard part is capping is based on ASSUMPTIONS, and if you assume wrong, you lose.
I think there is still some uncertainty to USC. Just how good is this defense? The certainty, I assume, is they are better than average and the offense is better than average but uncertainty is can Oregon State get 21-28 here??? I think OSU possibly can.
The other certainty is this Oregon State D is replacing almost entire front 7, is horrible against the run, lost to Stanford, flat out is IMO one of the worst Oregon State teams I've seen in awhile, but still some assumptions on my part.
The other certainty is USC has played badly in Corvales. This is fact, but are we assuming too much because look at how good Oregon State was those years and the conditoins for the one game in the fog. Also, was USC coming off of a bye week those years (USC Off bye incredible), and were they opening Pac 10 play those years?? (In SOME cases can give teams more focus and better energy.)
---So what I am assuming is USC is going to get theres on a defense I am pretty certain is not that good. I say high 30s to possibly low 50s.
---The other part is uncertainty IMO. Could USC get out to a big half time lead and let it down for a backdoor, yes. Could the OSU offense just be the best test against a USC defense that has not had a real test to expose some things to work on and get better, yes. Ohio State did move the ball in the first half before things came crashing down. The Beaver offense is not a great Beaver offense to say the least, I'm not sold on Moeva, I think it's a lateral swing pass offense. The OLine is not performing up to expectations. They do have some great receivers. But they are not horrible. This is an inconference game and so OSU knows USC inside and out which lends an advantage. I do like OSU to utilize quick passes against USC blitzes and be effective because that's part of OSU's offense. Speed of USC defense will be tough though.
---All in all, I *think* USC will cover the large spread, but I am not certain. Hope that helps, lol.