No. 13 Notre Dame takes on No. 5 USC on Saturday at the LA Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles.
Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET, and it will be televised on ABC.
Notre Dame (8-3) has flipped the script in impressive fashion under first-year coach Marcus Freeman. The Irish have won five straight games. Drew Pyne has emerged as an efficient quarterback, and the defense forced five turnovers in a 44-0 victory against Boston College in Week 12.
USC (10-1) is coming off a thrilling 45-42 victory against No. 17 UCLA in Week 12. First-year coach Lincoln Riley has the Trojans on the cusp of a Pac-12 championship and a College Football Playoff berth, and quarterback Caleb Williams has emerged as one of the top Heisman Trophy candidates along with Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud.
That makes for an intriguing prime-time stage for these classic rivals. Here is everything worth knowing to bet on the Irish and Trojans.
Notre Dame vs. USC odds
- Spread: USC -5.5
- Over/under: 63
- Moneyline: USC -220, Notre Dame +180 (BetMGM)
The line has dropped a point from its opening, which shows faith in the Irish. Eight of USC's games have hit the over, including the past five. Notre Dame's past five games also have hit the over.
Three trends to know
— Notre Dame plays well against Top 25 teams. The Irish are 4-0 ATS and 3-1 S/U against ranked teams this season, and that includes the 21-10 loss to No. 2 Ohio State in Week 1. The Irish also are 4-0 ATS as an underdog with three S/U victories.
— The Irish have won the past four meetings in the series. Notre Dame has won those games by an average of 15.2 points per game, but these are different coaching staffs.
— The Trojans are 6-4 ATS as a favorite this season, but they are 3-1 ATS in games with single-digit spreads. USC is 1-1 S/U and 2-0 ATS against ranked opponents this season.
Three things to watch
— Caleb Williams for Heisman? This is Williams' chance to make another loud statement. Williams averaged 378 passing yards per game with 19 TDs and two interceptions in his past five games, and five different USC receivers had at least one catch of 20 yards or more. The return of receiver Jordan Addison, who had 11 catches for 178 yards and a TD against the Bruins last week, has been a huge help. Notre Dame's pass defense has allowed just 158.8 passing yards per game through the winning streak. Freshman cornerback Benjamin Morrison has five interceptions.
— Notre Dame's running game. Logan Diggs and Audric Estime have energized the Irish's running game. They have combined for five 100-yard games in the past five weeks, and the Irish have relied on a strong offensive line. The Trojans allow 147.2 yards per game, and they allow 4.6 yards per carry. If Notre Dame has that kind of success on the ground, then that will limit the Trojans' possessions.
— Rush up front. USC edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu has compiled 4.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss in the Trojans' past three games, and he can line up in multiple positions. How much will he be lined up across Notre Dame All-American candidate Joe Alt? The same goes on the other side with Irish edge rusher Isaiah Foskey, who has six sacks in Notre Dame's past five games. USC also has an All-American candidate at guard in Andrew Vorhees. NFL scouts will have a close watch on all of these potential high-round picks.
Stat that matters
USC leads the nation with 18 interceptions, and 11 different players have recorded one. It's a turnover-happy scheme under defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, and Korey Foreman's pick sealed the victory against the Bruins. Pyne has been hot-and-cold in the passing game. He has four starts with a completion percentage of 70 percent or better and four starts at 50 percent or worse.
Notre Dame vs. USC prediction
This is an exciting new chapter for one of college football's best rivalries, and it will be interesting to see how Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden tries to keep USC's playmakers up front. That might mean daring USC to run with Austin Jones, who had 21 carries for 120 yards and two TDs in his first start for Travis Dye, who was lost for the season with a knee injury. The Irish will test Williams' patience in the first half, but USC simply has too many options in the passing game. The Trojans will hold off a fourth-quarter rally to keep their playoff hopes alive in the Pac-12 championship game. The Irish will finish at 8-4 in Freeman's first season.
Final score: USC 36, Notre Dame 34
