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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