USC offers little margin for error

With the start of the college football season only two weeks away, the website Skytowercasino.com is offering a list of over/under win totals on a number of college football teams. The over/under is for only the regular season.

If somebody makes a wager on the over for USC, widely considered the best team in the country and a likely participant in the BCS championship game next Jan. 7 in New Orleans, the Trojans are going to have to finish 12-0.

There is no margin for error. Over 11 victories on USC is -110, meaning a bettor would have to wager $110 to win $100. If a player believes the Trojans will stumble twice during the season, under 11 wins is -120.

The magic number for UCLA is nine.

Over nine wins on the Bruins is +105, meaning a $100 bet would be worth $105. Under nine victories is -135.

Louisiana State, a team that many feel will be USC’s opponent in the title game, is +120 to go over 10 1/2 wins. The price for under 10 1/2 is -150.

As for defending national champion Florida, the price on over 10 victories is +180 and under 10 is -240.

Two other teams whose number sits at 10 are Louisville and Michigan. The Cardinals are -115 on both over and under and the Wolverines are -105 on over 10 victories and -125 on under.

Baseball

Considering he pitches for a team that hasn’t been a contender since Barry Bonds left for San Francisco after the 1992 season, Tom Gorzelanny has done well to win 11 games for Pittsburgh this season.

Gorzelanny has accounted for more than 20% of the Pirates’ wins in 2007 and is in a groove entering tonight’s game against visiting Philadelphia.

The left-hander has given up only two runs in his last 16 innings and is coming off the best game of his career. He threw the first shutout and first complete game of his career last weekend against the Giants.

This will be Gorzelanny’s first look at the favored Phillies this season. He didn’t pitch when the Pirates were swept in Philadelphia in late July. Pittsburgh was outscored, 23-8, during the series.

Pro football

Quarterback Donovan McNabb will get his first action of the exhibition season when favored Philadelphia plays hosts to Carolina tonight.

McNabb, who suffered a season-ending knee injury last November amid what might have been his best season in the NFL, has reportedly looked good during training camp, but was held out of the Eagles’ exhibition opener on Monday, a 29-3 defeat at Baltimore. He is expected to play the entire first quarter this evening.

Carolina, which ran the ball very well in its win over the New York Giants last weekend, will be making its first visit to Philadelphia since a 30-8 loss during the 2004 regular season. The two teams have never met in the preseason.

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bob.mieszerski@latimes.com