The Penn State Nittany Lions believe they should have been strongly considered for a spot in the four-team college football playoff. There are probably more upset about that now, considering Ohio State got shut out by Clemson. But they have an opportunity to make their statement against the USC Trojans in the Rose Bowl, which will begin at 5 PM ET in Pasadena on Monday. ESPN will televise, and BetAnySports customers will have the opportunity, even after the opening kickoff, to place wagers through the phenomenon known as Live Betting Ultra.

Both of these teams close the season with a lot of momentum. For Penn State, the awakening may have taken place after a 49-10 loss to Michigan, as they reeled off nine straight wins, going 8-0-1 against the football pointspread. And of course, they won the Big Ten championship game over Wisconsin, and they were able to overcome a 14-point halftime deficit to do it.

USC had a rather strong line of demarcation for their turnaround. It was when they put freshman quarterback Sam Darnold into the game against Utah. It wasn't enough to win that game in progress, but the Trojans have gone undefeated with Darbold starting. He has completed 68% of his passes with 26 touchdowns, and the Trojans made a case that they might be the best team in the Pac 12. Unfortunately, because they started the year with a 1-3 record, they never got to prove that. But they did beat Washington, the eventual conference champion and a participant in the playoffs, rather handily, and in Seattle no less.

In the college football betting odds posted on the Rose Bowl by the people at BetAnySports, USC is the favorite:

USC Trojans -7
Penn State Nittany Lions +7

Over 59 points -110
Under 59 points -110

Darnold looks like a future Heisman Trophy candidate. And he has the benefit of a very strong offensive line, which opened up enough holes that the running game averaged 5.3 yards per attempt, and allowed him to be sacked only five times. That's strength, and it is further exemplified by the way Ronald Jones was able to fill in for an injured Justin Davis and gain 1027 yards with 11 touchdowns on the ground.

Penn State has its own capable quarterback. Trace McSorley threw for 3360 yards and 25 touchdowns, suffering only five interceptions. And Penn State would make the case that they have the best running back in this matchup, when you consider the talents of Saquon Barkley (1302 yards, 16 touchdowns). The Nittany Lion's were 51st nationally in total offense, but McSorley was 14th in the nation in passing efficiency.

A possible concern for Penn State is that USC might be able to stack up against the run and go one-on-one with their receivers, who are not especially dynamic. The Trojans have a pair of cornerbacks that might be equal to anyone in the country, with Adoree Jackson and Iman Marshall. Jackson offers another dimension, as he is third in the nation in punt returns, and against Notre Dame he was absolutely electrifying, scoring three touchdowns.

BetAnySports gives you a great free play bonus, along with reduced juice, giving you a lot better shot with better odds...... Also, remember that you can remain in action even after the opening kickoff with Live Betting Ultra....Lots of payment options are available, including your Visa card, person-to-person transfers (like Western Union) and the virtual currency of Bitcoin, which never carries a transaction fee!