Jeff Haney takes a look at college football betting lines, with USC atop nearly seven months before the finale

Monday, June 18, 2007 | 7:06 a.m.

When oddsmakers recently posted betting lines on which team will win college football's national championship this season, Southern Cal was atop the pack at odds of 5-2.

That price, at the Las Vegas Hilton sports book, might appear short, considering the season finale is nearly seven months away.

But on Jan. 8, 2008, the date of the Bowl Championship Series title game at the Superdome in New Orleans, those 5-2 odds might seem like a bargain - if you believe the preseason hype sure to surround USC, that is.

Expected to be ranked No. 1 at the beginning of the college season, the Trojans figure to bring back 18 starters, including 10 on defense, from last season's team that went 11-2 and scored a mild upset against Michigan in the Rose Bowl.

The Trojans' defense looked especially impressive in the 32-18 victory against Michigan. It's expected to be led by pass-rusher Lawrence Jackson, linebacker Rey Maualuga and safety Taylor Mays.

On offense, USC lost two top wide receivers, but brings aboard a couple of highly touted replacements, along with a crop of former All-Americans at tailback and Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback John David Booty.

As will probably be the case in the major preseason polls, no team has emerged as a close second in the odds to win the national title.

Defending national champion Florida follows USC, checking in at odds of 7-1 at the Hilton - a significant gap from the 5-2 attached to the Trojans. Florida breezed past Ohio State as a 7-point underdog in last season's title game to cap a 13-1 season.

Michigan opened as an 8-1 choice, followed by LSU and Texas, each 10-1.

Ohio State is expected to encounter a letdown after its national championship game appearance, according to oddsmakers. Thanks to the loss of 12 starters , including Heisman winner Troy Smith at quarterback, the Buckeyes opened at fairly long odds of 30-1.

The Hilton offers odds on 49 teams , plus a "field" wager (all others) available for 100-1. The longest shots listed individually are Purdue and South Florida, each 500-1.

Fight game

Ricky Hatton is favored at odds approaching 2-1 against Jose Luis Castillo in Saturday's junior welterweight showdown at the Thomas & Mack Center, but the popular British fighter expects his opponent to be in top form for one of the summer's biggest boxing matches.

"It's important to his career," Hatton said. "I think he knows he needs a big win ... I mean, when he used to fight in big, big fights, big-name fights, (his) last fight was a significant step down. And probably he was a lot less, you know, he was de motivated. I expect him to know that he's got to pull in a big performance and that will be the way he's training."

Neither Hatton nor Castillo looked particularly sharp last time out, when they beat separate opponents by 12-round decision on the same card in January at Paris Las Vegas . Hatton outpointed Juan Urango, and Castillo escaped with a split decision against Herman Ngoudjo.

Although Hatton and Castillo are known as fighters who don't mind turning a boxing match into a brawl, the round proposition on Saturday's scheduled 12-round fight is over/under 10 1/2 or 11 rounds in Las Vegas sports books.

"I've got a good chin. Jose has a good chin," Hatton said. "So if anything, the smart money would be on a 12-round war. "

NBA look-ahead

In what could be construed as an insult, or perhaps a reflection of their cool, efficient style of play, the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs opened as only the third choice (5-1) to win next year's title, according to some early Las Vegas betting lines. Ahead of them were two flashy fan favorites, the Dallas Mavericks (4-1) and Phoenix Suns (9-2).