Week 8 Locks: Kessler, USC Flawless in Bounce Back Role

Last weekend, Oklahoma and its team total was the easiest pair of plays since college football data was released in 381 B.C.

No, seriously, the Sooners jumping out to a 35-0 lead in the first half sent waves of gaiety down my spine with every Score Alert on ESPN.

Now onto Week 8. Because money pays for stuff that we like. And we enjoy those things.

Lock of the Week

When the undefeated Utah Utes bounce into The Coliseum to take on the 3-3 Southern California Trojans, recreational bettors may endure a bit of nostalgia. May want to stockpile this tale in your keepsakes for future bedtime lectures once the kids come a'popping.

How strange is #3 Utah as 3 point dog to unranked USC? It's only time in @OddsShark database top 3 team has been underdog to unranked team.

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravisBGID) October 20, 2015

Extra strange. Witchcraft? Hocus Pocus (phenomenal movie) for sure.

But this is familiar territory for flourishing in regards to the play of USC quarterback Cody Kessler. It was a situation that I struck gold with last weekend as well.

Prior to the Notre Dame rendezvous last weekend, Kessler had lost eight times since grabbing the reins of the starting quarterback position.

In the following eight games, the Trojans were 8-0 against the spread, averaging 36.3 points per game.

The motif nearly held true once more in South Bend as USC stormed out to a 31-24 lead early in the third quarter. Kessler would subsequently be picked off twice in the waning moments of the fourth to halt the against the spread. However, the scoreboard lit up on the visitors side.

Utah's been susceptible to the passing game this season. Given the Trojans still remain in the brush of the PAC 12 South, a win on Saturday, a victory would create some hysteria amidst that core.

The Trojans have plenty of options to stretch the Utes vertically with Adoree' Jackson and Juju Smith-Schuster and it's a team that, in my opinion, won't crumble beneath the chaos that has ensued recently.

Pick: Southern California Trojans Team Total Over 31.5