No. 10 USC invades No. 21 Notre Dame and something’s got to give
The weaker opponent 6-0 Trojans and their long-beleaguered defense head to rainy South Bend to face a struggling, desperate Fighting Irish offense. But Notre Dame Stadium has been a nightmare for USC recently. The Trojans haven’t knocked off their rivals on the road since 2011, yet ended a four-game losing streak in the series last year propelled by Caleb Williams.
The 2023 humbled Irish still could play a huge spoiler role while fighting to salvage their major bowl hopes. For USC, this looks like their toughest contest of the year by a mile, though one wonders how things could get much more difficult than last Saturday’s wild three OT affair…
USC’s defense stops Notre Dame on 4th and 1 in the first half on Nov. 26, 2022, at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Luca Evans (OC Register) — LOS ANGELES — It looked almost comical, a member of USC’s staff carrying a handheld jug attached to a thin hose a few yards in front of Zachariah Branch, jetting water directly into Branch’s face as he practiced fielding punts at Tuesday’s practice.
While Branch, the first Trojan since Adoree’ Jackson in 2016 to have a punt return, kick return, and receiving touchdown in the same season, was on the field this week, Lincoln Riley said Thursday he still hadn’t participated fully in practice since missing in action.
The next day, coaches brought out a longer system, a red extender connected to an already-lengthy green hose connected to a spigot poking out of the turf. Because, really, what else was there to do?
There is a roughly 90% chance of rain in South Bend on Saturday, and if USC was indeed trying to simulate a harsh environment against Notre Dame, they couldn’t exactly hope for natural methods under an oppressively blue Southern California sky.
“I think ultimately, the most … we probably do is put a little bit of water on the football before we roll it out,” grinned Trojans safety Jaylin Smith, when asked about the defense’s preparation for the weekend weather.
USC is the undefeated program here and the program that convincingly won this last rivalry matchup. Notre Dame (5-2) is reeling, coming off a 33-20 loss to Louisville that Fighting Irish offensive coordinator Gerad Parker called “brutal.”
And yet, between harrowing finishes against Colorado and Arizona, between head coach Lincoln Riley getting fed up with criticism over his defense, between USC coming into a harsh and wet South Bend environment against a highly motivated Fighting Irish team – it feels publicly as if the Trojans are the ones with backs against the wall.
Particularly, an already-elite Notre Dame defensive unit now has a quarter-length model of how to try to defend Caleb Williams from Arizona last week: Load up the secondary with DBs, mix in blitzes, and hope defensive linemen are nimble enough to contain when he escapes the pocket (Arizona quickly failed at this).
“We’ve seen that before,” Riley said Thursday when asked about opposing defenses copying aspects of successful schemes against USC. “It certainly happened a couple of times last year. Happened a little bit in this game, last year. It’s always on the table.”
There’s one piece, however, that Notre Dame can’t quite prepare for, one 5-foot-10 joyful X-factor who was running around snapping balls between his legs when he wasn’t fielding water-sprayed punts at practice Tuesday. After an explosive first few games as a Trojan, Branch hasn’t played in the last two with an injury shrouded in mystery, despite participating in media-viewing portions of practice in each of the last two weeks.
“He’s in a better place than he was last week,” Riley said Thursday, “but he’s not able to do everything yet. He’s eager. But we obviously want to be smart and turn him loose at the right time.”
Not exactly a ringing endorsement for Branch suiting up Saturday. If Saturday is indeed deemed the right time to turn the electrifying speedster loose, however, it’ll add a dynamic special-teams unpredictability and a playmaking option in the flat, USC notably generating not much on screen passes (3.8 YPA) against Arizona last week.
When Notre Dame has the ball
This is a showdown of struggling offense against struggling defense, each unit desperately needing to make a statement. Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman is coming off a five-turnover game. The Trojans’ defense is coming off back-to-back games surrendering 40-plus points.
Parker, however, backed up Riley’s Tuesday assertions that there’s more to USC’s defense than meets the eye.
“This defense, and how they play early in football games, doesn’t tell the whole story,” the Notre Dame offensive coordinator said this week. “This defense is talented, they have lateral movement, they create havoc up front.”
USC’s front and linebackers will have to slow steamrolling Notre Dame running back Audric Estime, who’s run for seven touchdowns in seven games, and an injury-riddled cornerback group needs strong production out of returning Domani Jackson and some combination of Ceyair Wright, Jacobe Covington and Christian Roland-Wallace, whoever is available.
When USC has the ball
Even after Williams’ crowning Heisman statement in this matchup last year, Notre Dame’s defense is better-geared to slow him than perhaps any team on USC’s schedule this year. Its cornerback duo of Benjamin Morrison and Cam Hart is strong. Its front forces consistent quarterback pressures. And its linebackers – particularly senior JD Bertrand – drew effusive praise from USC this week.
A noticeable trend: running back MarShawn Lloyd has received a steadily increasing number of carries across six games this year. Expect that to hold steady, or increase, in a wet and unforgiving South Bend atmosphere Saturday.
“No. 1 thing is we gotta stay out of third-and-longs more than we have in the last couple of weeks,” Riley said.
No. 10 USC (6-0) at No. 21 Notre Dame (5-2); 4:30 p.m. PT Saturday; Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana; TV/radio: NBC/790 AM
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Thank you Satyrdancer for playing along.
The extra 1/2 point saved a couple of you on the Oregon/Washington game.
Last minute fumble and score sent the USC/ND game to an over.
USC still has the best conference record. But it feels like the season is over. Kind of like white water rafting. We got through some bad rapids, pretty bruised up, in some calm water now but the really bad stuff is coming.
With the Heisman gone maybe CW will calm down and play smarter but there is so much else that is wrong.
Well……after the season IMO Jen should sit down with LR and ask him if he wants to be a head coach for a dominant program. If he does not…..I guess we are stuck with a s— show for a few years unless we get lucky like with Kingsbury and he goes NFL…..not going to happen. If he does agree with Jen, every staff coach we have needs to be replaced. A special teams and OC needs to be hired. The new DC should have asst head coach as part of his title. Recruiting needs to do whatever it takes to… Read more »
The way CW is playing he’s more harm than good. Waiting for the long bomb to open instead of the easy quick short passes, trying to score on every play. Riley and Kingsbury should be doing a better job with him. I can’t imagine this team next year with Nelson back there. Next up Utah can’t see how they come out of this and get it together.
USC was expected to be a title contender, but the Trojans are a team without an identity Antonio Morales (The Athletic) — SOUTH BEND, Ind. — In the final minutes of USC’s humbling 48-20 loss to Notre Dame on Saturday night, this question came to mind: What, exactly, do the Trojans do well right now? Nothing, really. The offense has major issues — even the Heisman Trophy winner looked human on Saturday. The defense remains extremely vulnerable. The special teams have been average at best. Quarterback Caleb Williams has always been the bright spot. He forced some bad throws on Saturday and should shoulder some… Read more »
It is like I said, it was one guy versus 11, and he did not have a good game. I have come to the conclusion USC puts to much emphasis on the Qb. Then along comes the defensive woes and it ends up like last night. We have the talent to play with anyone, the shortcomings are in the fight and determination of the individuals. I wonder what will become of the 2024 recruiting class.
I agree with all you say, except I don’t believe we have the talent to play with the elites at all, especially at OL, LB and DB. Even our WRs couldn’t get open against a good but certainly not playoff-type ND team. What a wipeout. Sadly, we are poorly coached.
Stewart Mandel (The Athletic) — There’s no nice way to say it: USC is a dumpster fire. So much so that when the dam finally broke Saturday in South Bend, it wasn’t even Alex Grinch’s defense that did the damage. Strangely, and completely uncharacteristically, it was the offense. Caleb Williams, who first showed some cracks last week against Arizona, likely saw his hopes of a Heisman repeat go up in smoke with a nightmare performance: three first-half interceptions and just 191 total yards. Notre Dame’s defense, sparked by a huge game from Xavier Watts (two picks and a scoop-and-score) spent the second half thwarting any hopes… Read more »
The toughest part of this season started Saturday in South Bend and didn’t go well. SC must get back on track against Utah this coming Saturday, or else the wheels will start falling off quickly. Only sure win on the remaining schedule is at Cal. With the way USC played against ND, Washington and Oregon look like losses and UCLA will be a toss-up as they were beaten soundly by Oregon State.
Ahh …….. The morning after ………. So fellow USC Fans are we contemplating lowing our expectations of this 2023 USC Team ??? .I am …… I would say …..In A ” Waiting to see how we look next week ” Mode ………. But As Always Fight on !
This game reminds me of the 1977 fiasco where the Irish came out in their green uniforms from a Trojan horse. Joe Montana and ND had a field day against USC and ND won 49-19. The game was dubbed the “green jersey game”.
LR is inches away from losing his status as a decent coach. He’s already pigeonholed as a one trick pony, but if he doesn’t make a coaching change, and I mean immediately, he’s through. On any level. Air Raid is for little guys, not blue bloods. He’s too expensive to buy out, so the new AD needs to force him to quit. Fire grinch, and tell LR to deal. He may leave on his own.
It really doesn’t take much brain power to watch this team and realize how poorly coached they are, hell even on offense there’s been mistakes galore. It’s like the consistent ineptitude on D is now starting to overflow into the offense. And the special teams is also a disgrace.
It all comes back to the head coach. He’s a fraud. Pure and simple. He needs to go.
Gotta fire the head coach ASAP and start from scratch, before things get any worse. It’s completely foolish and ignorant at this point to think Lincoln Riley will ever make USC into a contender. Need to change the culture. Toughness. Physicality. Defense. Run the ball and stop the run. Dominant in the trenches. This program needs to find the right man for the job. Asap.
My question is does anyone think this team was prepared enough to face ND today? What worked? The O-line? How many sacks did it give up? The receivers? How many dropped passes & fumbles did this group give up? The defense? Funny thing, if it wasn’t for the picks & fumbles I wonder what the score would have ended up? But ND’s running game did pretty well today. And why was CW left in the game so long? If was getting hit almost every play at the end. Does LR feel his QB is indestructible? What a pathetic game in… Read more »
Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. I missed the entire first half. When I finally able to find a broadcast I found out it was the offence that was losing, the defense was on the field too long, but respectable for the most part. If you say you didn’t see this coming, you haven’t been watching. USC has been sleep walking behind Caleb for too long. I turned the game off when ND turned the momentum around by running a kickoff back untouched. I saw an uncoached special teams player square up to tackle,… Read more »
Good game, if you like massacres. Will be interesting to see where this team goes from here. Lots of issues. John McKay might have said, “Take a shower, if you need one.”
But I don’t think effort was the problem. Just got totally outclassed by a more talented and better-coached team. Next.
They could deal with a real loss, but for this team to be humiliated like that says USC has a great deal of work to do. Both sides of the ball. 5 turn overs. That is a tough one to explain away. I thought they tackled better though.
ND put up more points than they did against Central Michigan. Just let that sink in for a moment. Just pathetic. I’m done with this season. This team sucks.
Yes. I’ve been as critical of our defense as anyone this year, but IMO this was a very respectable defensive performance. By my count, ND only scored 13 points from drives they made down the field NOT started from a turnover. This loss is entirely on our offense in general and offensive line in particular.
It will probably take 2-3 more weeks. We will definitely be out of the top 25. It looks like OU got the better end of the stick when it comes to coaches.
Losing very badly to an extremely pedestrian ND team. USC is not the team we hoped for at the beginning of the season and LR has lost and shine he carried over from last year.
This is the worst offensive line play in years. Pathetic effort pathetic play. 9-3 would be a blessing for this team. That’s how horrible this team is. And the sad thing is that we’re wasting a generational talent in Caleb.
We all knew the Defense was going to be bad and we called for Grinch’s head after last season but nobody listened.
USC has failed Caleb. And this coaching staff has failed the fans and the alumni.
not even sure what to think. Our line is truly terrible today. It wasn’t even competitive My belief is waning for the rest of the year as well. Oregon, Washington, and possibly the gutties and Utah are all better than ND. We are going to need to fix a bunch of things. See you all next week. Thanks for making the game day more fun, even on days like this.
Next year … he may pack it in during this year. He isn’t playing the toilet bowl we are going to. He isn’t going to run the ball anymore (the only O we have left unless Branch touches the ball).
Utah will tell the story on SC future. Will they bounce back like ND did or will they cave.
Lincoln is going to have to fire some staff to keep his job next season. With all the money and resources, we should be able to put a better product on the field. This is embarrassing.
Hey Lincoln Don’t know if it is true when the LA Times hinted that the Media has been leaving you alone criticism-wise……But if it IS true it AIN’T gonna be much longer.
USC’s defense stops Notre Dame on 4th and 1 in the first half on Nov. 26, 2022, at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
This is a showdown of struggling offense against struggling defense, each unit desperately needing to make a statement. Notre Dame quarterback 
Corrected Standings after Week 7 Games
Thank you Satyrdancer for playing along.
The extra 1/2 point saved a couple of you on the Oregon/Washington game.
Last minute fumble and score sent the USC/ND game to an over.
You can get the full accounting by clicking below:
https://trojandailyblog.com/tdb-contest-week-7-2023/
John, Oregon St won over ucla by 12 points so didn’t I have a winner?
You are correct. I was thinking of the wrong Oregon. I have made the correction, sorry about that.
Thanks for giving us Oregon +3.5 not 3. I thought I lost that one.
USC still has the best conference record. But it feels like the season is over. Kind of like white water rafting. We got through some bad rapids, pretty bruised up, in some calm water now but the really bad stuff is coming.
With the Heisman gone maybe CW will calm down and play smarter but there is so much else that is wrong.
Well……after the season IMO Jen should sit down with LR and ask him if he wants to be a head coach for a dominant program. If he does not…..I guess we are stuck with a s— show for a few years unless we get lucky like with Kingsbury and he goes NFL…..not going to happen. If he does agree with Jen, every staff coach we have needs to be replaced. A special teams and OC needs to be hired. The new DC should have asst head coach as part of his title. Recruiting needs to do whatever it takes to… Read more »
The way CW is playing he’s more harm than good. Waiting for the long bomb to open instead of the easy quick short passes, trying to score on every play. Riley and Kingsbury should be doing a better job with him. I can’t imagine this team next year with Nelson back there. Next up Utah can’t see how they come out of this and get it together.
Illinois is dead right.
USC was expected to be a title contender, but the Trojans are a team without an identity Antonio Morales (The Athletic) — SOUTH BEND, Ind. — In the final minutes of USC’s humbling 48-20 loss to Notre Dame on Saturday night, this question came to mind: What, exactly, do the Trojans do well right now? Nothing, really. The offense has major issues — even the Heisman Trophy winner looked human on Saturday. The defense remains extremely vulnerable. The special teams have been average at best. Quarterback Caleb Williams has always been the bright spot. He forced some bad throws on Saturday and should shoulder some… Read more »
It is like I said, it was one guy versus 11, and he did not have a good game. I have come to the conclusion USC puts to much emphasis on the Qb. Then along comes the defensive woes and it ends up like last night. We have the talent to play with anyone, the shortcomings are in the fight and determination of the individuals. I wonder what will become of the 2024 recruiting class.
I agree with all you say, except I don’t believe we have the talent to play with the elites at all, especially at OL, LB and DB. Even our WRs couldn’t get open against a good but certainly not playoff-type ND team. What a wipeout. Sadly, we are poorly coached.
Stewart Mandel (The Athletic) — There’s no nice way to say it: USC is a dumpster fire. So much so that when the dam finally broke Saturday in South Bend, it wasn’t even Alex Grinch’s defense that did the damage. Strangely, and completely uncharacteristically, it was the offense. Caleb Williams, who first showed some cracks last week against Arizona, likely saw his hopes of a Heisman repeat go up in smoke with a nightmare performance: three first-half interceptions and just 191 total yards. Notre Dame’s defense, sparked by a huge game from Xavier Watts (two picks and a scoop-and-score) spent the second half thwarting any hopes… Read more »
The toughest part of this season started Saturday in South Bend and didn’t go well. SC must get back on track against Utah this coming Saturday, or else the wheels will start falling off quickly. Only sure win on the remaining schedule is at Cal. With the way USC played against ND, Washington and Oregon look like losses and UCLA will be a toss-up as they were beaten soundly by Oregon State.
Ahh …….. The morning after ………. So fellow USC Fans are we contemplating lowing our expectations of this 2023 USC Team ??? .I am …… I would say …..In A ” Waiting to see how we look next week ” Mode ………. But As Always Fight on !
I’ll bet Plaschke’ keyboard is on fire…and Jen Cohen has a terrible case of indigestion.
This game reminds me of the 1977 fiasco where the Irish came out in their green uniforms from a Trojan horse. Joe Montana and ND had a field day against USC and ND won 49-19. The game was dubbed the “green jersey game”.
more like any Gomer Helton trip to ND
what a shit show
LR is inches away from losing his status as a decent coach. He’s already pigeonholed as a one trick pony, but if he doesn’t make a coaching change, and I mean immediately, he’s through. On any level. Air Raid is for little guys, not blue bloods. He’s too expensive to buy out, so the new AD needs to force him to quit. Fire grinch, and tell LR to deal. He may leave on his own.
It really doesn’t take much brain power to watch this team and realize how poorly coached they are, hell even on offense there’s been mistakes galore. It’s like the consistent ineptitude on D is now starting to overflow into the offense. And the special teams is also a disgrace.
It all comes back to the head coach. He’s a fraud. Pure and simple. He needs to go.
Gotta fire the head coach ASAP and start from scratch, before things get any worse. It’s completely foolish and ignorant at this point to think Lincoln Riley will ever make USC into a contender. Need to change the culture. Toughness. Physicality. Defense. Run the ball and stop the run. Dominant in the trenches. This program needs to find the right man for the job. Asap.
Ok … who
My question is does anyone think this team was prepared enough to face ND today? What worked? The O-line? How many sacks did it give up? The receivers? How many dropped passes & fumbles did this group give up? The defense? Funny thing, if it wasn’t for the picks & fumbles I wonder what the score would have ended up? But ND’s running game did pretty well today. And why was CW left in the game so long? If was getting hit almost every play at the end. Does LR feel his QB is indestructible? What a pathetic game in… Read more »
Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. I missed the entire first half. When I finally able to find a broadcast I found out it was the offence that was losing, the defense was on the field too long, but respectable for the most part. If you say you didn’t see this coming, you haven’t been watching. USC has been sleep walking behind Caleb for too long. I turned the game off when ND turned the momentum around by running a kickoff back untouched. I saw an uncoached special teams player square up to tackle,… Read more »
Good game, if you like massacres. Will be interesting to see where this team goes from here. Lots of issues. John McKay might have said, “Take a shower, if you need one.”
But I don’t think effort was the problem. Just got totally outclassed by a more talented and better-coached team. Next.
They could deal with a real loss, but for this team to be humiliated like that says USC has a great deal of work to do. Both sides of the ball. 5 turn overs. That is a tough one to explain away. I thought they tackled better though.
The wheels have fallen off, the bandwagon has come to a screeching halt and the hype is finally over. Now USC needs to deal with reality.
Fans rush the field for very stupid reasons now. They used to only do it for the biggest games.
ND put up more points than they did against Central Michigan. Just let that sink in for a moment. Just pathetic. I’m done with this season. This team sucks.
So of you are a backup on defense. When you get into the game should you tackle? I only ask because the starters don’t.
😂😂😂. My high school coach could do a better job teaching how to tackle than this coaching staff.
Yes. I’ve been as critical of our defense as anyone this year, but IMO this was a very respectable defensive performance. By my count, ND only scored 13 points from drives they made down the field NOT started from a turnover. This loss is entirely on our offense in general and offensive line in particular.
ND would of scored when they needed to. This D still sucks. Huskies and floats will score 50. We won’t .
Saw some USC Beat Writers say SC gotta win Turnover battle uh…….NOPE !
i’m gone. everyone have a good week
Somebody buy Williams life insurance for the Washington and Oregon games
Utah and UCLA … at some point he bags it. He will not run the ball anymore. And that’s are only offense.
I’ve lost track…is that the 6th turnover?
LR starting to look like Helton on the sideline. But paid a lot more.
this game was truly helton-like
Just take a knee and get out of there
Don’t worry….Kliff Kingsbury is on hand…….and is about as clueless as Riley.
miller time for the non-victory formation!
Almost losing by 30 freakin points …..SMH !!!!!
Can we please be knocked out of the top 25. Don’t deserve to be anywhere near it.
It will probably take 2-3 more weeks. We will definitely be out of the top 25. It looks like OU got the better end of the stick when it comes to coaches.
Mario has his daily drop, for 6 points. Why is he even in the game?
Because LR loves his guys (almost Helton like). He continues to reward Mario even though he doesn’t deserve it.
un effing believable!
Well there is the icing on the cake.
we hired a glorified OC as a head coach,,,,
Who hired a glorified OC as a head coach as an offensive consultant.
Who in turn hired a glorified Offensive consultant instead of a Defensive Coach.
The Ten Million Dollar Man
Does this make that Utah game more of a MUST WIN ?????
I think it makes it a hope we win.
Losing very badly to an extremely pedestrian ND team. USC is not the team we hoped for at the beginning of the season and LR has lost and shine he carried over from last year.
This is the worst offensive line play in years. Pathetic effort pathetic play. 9-3 would be a blessing for this team. That’s how horrible this team is. And the sad thing is that we’re wasting a generational talent in Caleb.
We all knew the Defense was going to be bad and we called for Grinch’s head after last season but nobody listened.
USC has failed Caleb. And this coaching staff has failed the fans and the alumni.
What a difference a year makes….
Holiday bowl here we come…….if we’re lucky
not even sure what to think. Our line is truly terrible today. It wasn’t even competitive My belief is waning for the rest of the year as well. Oregon, Washington, and possibly the gutties and Utah are all better than ND. We are going to need to fix a bunch of things. See you all next week. Thanks for making the game day more fun, even on days like this.
If this O-Line plays like this the rest of this season you what could be a possible result ? ….Make Caleb REALLY look forward to the Draft .
He’s gone after this year. He can’t afford to get hurt and this O-Line play will put him at risk.
Next year … he may pack it in during this year. He isn’t playing the toilet bowl we are going to. He isn’t going to run the ball anymore (the only O we have left unless Branch touches the ball).
Utah will tell the story on SC future. Will they bounce back like ND did or will they cave.
It is amazing how much my opinion of Riley has dropped since the Stanford game. Overrated!
What are large percentage of SC fans getting tonight ? …..Maybe a dose of reality ?
After beating Utah and Cal don’t anybody think this crew is going to beat Wash or Oregon.
Can you imagine this soft style of team in the B1G next season?
Maybe this loss will humble us and we’ll come back to conference play with some new found anger and intensity and sesire to improve.
Defense wins big games. ND defense has throttled the Don Coryelle offense of Lincoln Riley.
LR got outcoached by a 2nd year head coach who has a very mediocre team.
Lincoln is going to have to fire some staff to keep his job next season. With all the money and resources, we should be able to put a better product on the field. This is embarrassing.
Down by 18 and still not snapping it until 1 sec left on play clock. What is that? Absolutely no sense of urgency.
Hey Lincoln Don’t know if it is true when the LA Times hinted that the Media has been leaving you alone criticism-wise……But if it IS true it AIN’T gonna be much longer.
I can’t imagine what Washington and Oregon are going to do to us.
This is one of the worst disciplined SC teams I’ve ever experienced