What’s next for USC? High-stakes game vs. Notre Dame
No. 13 Notre Dame at No. 5 USC
When: Saturday, 4:30 p.m.
Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
TV/Radio: ABC/AM 790
Records: Notre Dame 8-3; USC 10-1, 8-1 in Pac-12
Notre Dame update: The Irish will arrive in Los Angeles playing their best football of the season. Notre Dame has won five straight, including a three-touchdown win over Clemson. The latest victory for the Irish was a 44-0 spanking of Boston College. The Irish forced five turnovers, with cornerback Benjamin Morrison grabbing three interceptions. … The Irish have a very balanced offense, passing for 2,081 yards and rushing for 2,103 this season. Quarterback Drew Pyne has completed 61.8% of passes while throwing 19 touchdowns and five interceptions. His favorite target is 6-foot-4 TE Michael Mayer, a potentially problematic matchup for a USC team that was gashed by Utah TE Dalton Kincaid.
USC latest: The Trojans will be riding a wave of confidence into the annual rivalry with Notre Dame after a 48-45 win over UCLA at the Rose Bowl. QB Caleb Williams threw for a career-high 470 yards and rushed for 33 more. RB Austin Jones produced 177 yards on 25 touches in his first start after Travis Dye’s season-ending leg injury. And the Trojan defense produced four turnovers for the first time since Week 4, leading to 10 points. … USC clinched a spot in the Pac-12 championship game with the win. … The Trojans could have a decision to make at placekicker after Denis Lynch missed two field goals against UCLA. Though he recovered with a 49-yarder, Lynch is now 12 of 18 on field goals this season, with five misses from between 30-39 yards. … USC has lost four straight to Notre Dame and seven of the last nine meetings between the teams.
Adam Grosbard (ocregister.com)
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I have a sense of calm over all this CFP ranking noise. To me it is objectively wrong that LSU would be ranked ahead of USC, but I don’t care, because there is more football coming. LSU is likely to lose to Georgia. End of that story. If they beat Georgia, even with a win over ND and in the Pac-12 title game, we would be irrational in suggesting we should be ranked ahead of a 2 loss team that has wins over Georgia and Alabama on their resume. I don’t think that will happen though, so I think our… Read more »
While USC is 10-1, coming off a dramatic win over UCLA, and already guaranteed a Pac-12 championship slot (sorry UTAH, you brutally blew it), I’m basking in the glow of LR’s amazing early run at USC and his complete transformation of the Trojans. I’m especially liking what it feels like again to go into the ND game not thinking we have little chance before kickoff because The Cat vs Brian Kelly was just a very unfair fight. With USC a solid 5-pt fave over the much-improved Irish, and Caleb Williams now suddenly #1 in the eyes of many as the… Read more »
Do you think we should hire some more towel wavers to make sure of victory over the irish?
I was originally a little naused by the new USC towel wavers. Not used to that.
But after watching them nearly wave themselves silly against UCLA, and seeing how the entire Trojan bench seemed happily engaged with them and jacked up during the entire game, I’ve decided to go with the flow.
Winning cures everything, including towel-waving for me!
I am a hard No. As a spontaneous infrequent reaction I am ok with a hearty towel waving. But as as a continuous planned activity count me out.
It’s looking to me like it’s part of the program now. I figure accepting it is easier for me than the other way around.
Beat the Irish! That’s what matters to me. I’m sure the towel wavers will be out in full force. But I get your point. ✌
You probably have the right attitude, but I still don’t like the towels.
Like you T5, I don’t really get the towel thing. Not my style. Just trying to pick my battles though, and I’d much rather see USC fix its special teams problems, which came much too close to changing the outcome of the UCLA game as I see it.
I think the towel waving on the sideline is a “seed” activity. LR is clearly on a campaign to develop a full Coliseum on Saturdays and a true home field advantage. Nothing at all would happen in this program without LR’s imprimatur on it. I think the hope is that it will catch on in the stands, and that the Coli will one day have that sea of towels waving like a Steelers or a Penn State game. I honestly think that is what the effort is. We’ll see if it catches on. Winning a Natty would help! And so… Read more »
I think you are right about LR, but I still don’t like it.
Love the pic of the great Dennis Smith making that interception vs ND in 1980. Joey Browner there too with no doubt Ronnie Lott lurking nearby. My god what a secondary! now someone explain how the hell Jeff Fisher was the other corner lol
Here’s your very own autographed copy…
Nice … one of my all time Trojans damn he was good !
The 1979 USC secondary was absolutely phenomenal
Ronnie Lott (Rialto Eisenhower)
Dennis Smith (Santa Monica)
Jeff Fisher (Woodland Hills Taft)
Joey Browner (Atlanta Southwest)
Herb Ward (San Francisco Balboa)
Kenney Moore (San Fernando)
Lincoln Riley needs to fire Donte Williams, hire a special teams coordinator at USC. What was the deal with those questionable pooch kicks against UCLA? Matt Zemek (Trojans Wire) — “We wrote a few weeks ago about the idea that Lincoln Riley had some tough choices to consider at USC, relative to the shape of his coaching staff for 2023. “We specifically explored the question of whether it was worth keeping Donte Williams on staff, given the erosion of USC’s cornerback play in recent weeks, and in light of the reality that USC does not have a special teams coordinator on… Read more »
Yes, see you Dante recruiters are a dime a dozen at USC it’s not hard with a little effort
Anyone from the Pete Carroll coaching weed or anything Gomer stay away forever
I have to ask, just what does a special teams coach do? Does he call for the pooch kick or does the HC. Does he go out to practice and watch the kickers all day? I remember we had a SPT and still could not get 11 on the field. Really seriously asking, just what does he do an analyst can’t do. HC decides if we go for 2 or kick off onsides. I can see a position coach doing special teams but it seems a waste of coaching slots and money for a full timer.
I am of the same thought.
I remember Riley taking abuse in the media for not having a special teams coordinator when he was at Oklahoma. Indeed, some people blamed that factor as the difference in Riley’s heartbreaking last game with Oklahoma. If he didn’t pivot after that, I don’t think that this tiger will change his stripes any time soon. Now, Donte is another story. There is an unacceptable number of wide-open receivers running free in our secondary, in addition to other basic deficiencies. LR needed to keep Donte around initially to preserve moral as much as possible, and of course to help in recruiting.… Read more »
https://twitter.com/i/status/1594782724673269760
Peaking at the right time Favorites to win the Heisman Trophy (Chris Gregory/Covers.com) C.J. Stroud (-130) Despite Ohio State missing out on the College Football Playoff, C.J. Stroud finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting in 2021 as a redshirt freshman and is now once again well in the mix to win it this season. Despite starting slow against Notre Dame in Week 1, Stroud has been rolling with 2,771 yards and 33 TDs in the following 10 games — including four over Iowa’s stingy secondary in Week 8 — and is back in the No. 1 spot to win the Heisman despite throwing for just… Read more »
Not so fast, DTR
Trojan CB Mekhi Blackmon puts a big hit on DTR in the first half. (Luis Sinco / LAT)
I am sure all of his bruises hurt just a little bit extra yesterday and today.
Love that picture. Was that the play when he tried a repeat of his 2021 hurdle and got nailed? Looks like it might be.
DTR publicly wrecked USC very badly in 2021. Thank goodness he didn’t lead UCLA to another victory and instead got royally picked off by our very own resurgent Korey Foreman.
Just imagine if DTR had beaten USC again? We’d have never heard the end of it from the Blowhard in Blue.
UCLA’s looking like another Holiday Bowl team again, if they decide to show up and play this time.
This is the best UCLA team in the last 20 years and, in the newly configured Pac, probably finishes 5th behind SC, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. It was a great team, but not a championship team. Beat Utah and Washington (embarrassed them really) but lost to SC, Oregon and AZ. This assumes WA beats WSU and UCLA beats CA and Utah beats CO. I think Utah beating CO is a foregone conclusion. The other two are up in the air.
New ball game vs USC this year …. and the next decade
Guess who the new Heisman leader is per Vegas? Caleb in 10/11. Only two others left on the board are Stroud (tOSU) and Corum (MI). Evidently, the UCLA game was the first game that a national audience actually got to see Caleb. And, he lite it up for over 500 yards of TO and 470 passing. If he throws for 300 yds. + against the Irish, my guess is he has it won. SC football provides one of the few platforms in the nation for showcasing talent on the big stage. Currently, SC offers two big stages: UCLA and ND.… Read more »
The USC / ND game has historically produced Heisman winners for a good showing.
This will definitely be a physical game with the Irish playing ball control and attempting to eat up the clock. What they don’t want is a shootout. If our offense puts up quick scores, which Clemson didn’t do, then we will force ND out of their game plan and prone to picks. Caleb should have a field day giving the Irish fits trying to contain him. Playing at home will give the team the extra emotion to do well.
This might be a game like the Oregon State game which was a low scoring game.
ND has a defense that can slow down USC. But by how much is the question.
Travis Dye will be missed in a ball control type game,
If Caleb can find his receivers it will be a shootout.
Does anyone know how good the Irish secondary is?
It may be a key to the game.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — “Notre Dame could be forced to play against one of the nation’s top passing offenses Saturday without one of its top CBs.
“Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman on Monday described SR CB Cam Hart as questionable for Saturday’s game at AP No. 5 USC (10-1).
“The 6-foot-3, 198-pound Hart left Notre Dame’s 44-0 victory over Boston College on Saturday midway through the third quarter after missing a tackle on wide receiver Zay Flowers. The play apparently aggravated a shoulder injury Hart has been dealing with throughout the season…”
notredame.rivals.com
usc50, I am with Allen on this one. ND is incapable of playing in a shootout. They have to rely on their D to control the other O. I just do not see that happening. If we get up 2 scores, the game is probably over.
Heard Brady Quinn on Sports Nation today. Hearing him talk up the Domers, it’d make an casual sports fan think it will be a close game with the Trojans as an underdog.
Such a Domer Homer.
One of the best things for me about watching Big Noon Kickoff over GameDay is seeing the enlightened banter between Reggie, Matt and Brady.
With their incredible back story because of the Bush Push game, and the always looming competition between USC and ND, it makes for some hilarious and semi-antagonistic exchanges that are worth their weight in Gold.
Maybe it’s just me, but I want SC to beat the Irish like a weathered Persian rug. I don’t hate N. D. (like I do Ucla), for me it’s just a very strong dislike. But this season has been a fun one, and to keep the fun going a win is needed. If we keep improving I might convince the boss to go to South Bend. I can slide into a trip to Chicago or something. Anyway I have dear friends who were raised Catholic (like John McKay supposedly was) and I have put up with their trash talk and… Read more »
5.5-point fave USC is looking very good to me. Big surprise, huh! I’m really feelin’ it after the Trojans slapped down UCLA.
We are not a good match up for the Irish. UCLA had as good an OL and a much better RB and it had far superior QB, receivers,and O scheme. The Irish have a better D than the Bruins. I think any team based on D with a mediocre O is in serious trouble against SC. From what I have seen, the only D in the nation that is capable of shutting down our O at home would be GA’s.
It’s not just you, Rialto.
Sorry Chip. I’m not gonna let you win this one either…
Modern-day mystery: Notre Dame somehow lost to lowly, impotent Stanford in South Bend, 16-14 on Oct. 14. Proof that anything can happen.
For once I wish the transitive property would apply this Saturday.
This will be a fun game with contrasting styles. I just don’t see any way ND can keep up in a shootout. I also don’t think there is any way we do not put up at least 35 points. We will make them a one dimensional team having to throw it often with a QB who doesn’t play like that. After last week I am more confident in us stopping the run. Insee this being a multiple score win.
USC 42 ND 24
Fight on!
So, it looks like another ‘over’, I say this because you have been correct on the total for the last two games………..