The set-up: USC is 6-4 and bowl eligible. Cal is 5-4 and in need of one more victory. If not now, when? The oddsmakers think this one will be close and so do I. The Cal QB situation got a boost from the return of Devon Modster last weekend and I expect that to pay dividends tonight. Note as well that USC comes into this one with 21 players on the injured list, with QB Kedon Slovis also listed as questionable. That means that backup QB Matt Fink will get the nod here and he's just 46 of 70 with four TD and four INT in limited time this season.

The pick: Last week Cal's defense stepped up in the team's impressive 33-20 win over Wazzou. Cal is poised to pull off the upset here vs. this Trojans team that's down to its backup QB. Additionally note that USC is just 5-10 ATS in its last 15 on the road (including only 1-3 ATS this season), while Cal is 6-2 ATS in its last eight as a home underdog. Don't be shocked if Cal pulls off the outright (that said, grab the points!)

8* play on California.