The USC Trojans (6-6) will take on the Texas A&M Aggies (8-4) at Allegiant Stadium during the much-anticipated 2024 Las Vegas Bowl. Both teams enter Friday night's contest with several key players absent, having either declared for the NFL Draft or opted to enter the transfer portal.
USC's roster has been significantly affected by player departures, particularly on the offensive side. Quarterback Miller Moss, who had previously started for the Trojans, was benched for the final three games of the season and has since decided to transfer to Louisville. Sophomore quarterback Jayden Maiava stepped up as the replacement, finishing strong with two wins and throwing seven touchdowns. The Trojans will also be without their leading rusher, Woody Marks, who amassed 1,133 rushing yards and nine touchdowns this season, as he prepares for the NFL Draft. USC will rely heavily on freshman Quinton Joyner, who had notable early-season performances, averaging 7.6 yards per carry.
Adding to USC's woes, they will miss two key wide receivers—Kyron Hudson and Zachariah Branch—who have chosen to enter the transfer portal. Nevertheless, leading receiver Makai Lemon remains available, providing some hope for the Trojans' passing attack.
On the other side of the field, Texas A&M faces similar challenges as they will be missing star defensive end Nic Scourton, who was instrumental on the pass rush with five sacks this season. The Aggies' offensive strategy will similarly be hampered without their leading rusher, Le'Veon Moss, who contributes 765 rushing yards and ten rushing touchdowns. Instead, the team will turn to junior running back Amari Daniels, who has shown promise with eight touchdowns this season, to help leverage the Aggies' matchup against USC's struggling rush defense.
Betting trends for this matchup reveal interesting insights as well. Texas A&M has had mixed results, with an 8-4 record straight up (SU) but only 3-9 against the spread (ATS). Their recent play has led bettors to question their reliability, as the Aggies failed to cover the spread (0-4 ATS) over their last four regular-season games. Conversely, USC has been more favorable for bettors this season, showing a 7-5 ATS performance by posting three wins and two losses over the month of November.
The betting lines for the Las Vegas Bowl currently have Texas A&M favored by 3.5 points, with the moneyline set at Texas A&M (-190), compared to USC (+165). The total points over/under stands at 52, reflecting how both teams might perform without several of their top contributors leading up to the game.
The kickoff is set for 10:30 p.m. ET on December 27, 2022, and the game will be televised live on ESPN. Recent money trends suggest substantial betting on Texas A&M, leading to the line swaying from an opening of two points to now 3.5 points favored by the Aggies, which hints at significant confidence from bettors.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Marcel Reed will have to shoulder the load for Texas A&M, stepping up for the recently benched Conner Weigman. Reed has demonstrated his capacity to contribute with impressive stats, maintaining a 12:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio along with his ability to run, accumulating 501 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. His dual-threat capability is expected to be game-changing against USC's defense.
With so much hinging on player performances and tactical adjustments, this matchup is set to be closely contested. Both teams have transformed from their initial 2024 season forms, and the Las Vegas Bowl promises to be as much about resilience and strategy as it is about talent.
Expectations are high for both the Aggies and the Trojans to deliver a strong showing, one shaped largely by the player absences and recent betting trends. A thrilling battle awaits viewers as these two teams look to close their seasons on a high note.
