The rivalry between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the USC Trojans has lost a bit of its luster. In what was once unimaginable, over the last six seasons four of the meetings between these storied programs have seen both teams unranked coming into the game. This season both teams have lofty aspirations and this game could once again take on great meaning.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Notre Dame Fighting Irish +4.5
USC Trojans -4.5
ODDS ANALYSIS
Notre Dame has covered three of the last four games it has played against USC, but was trounced by 35 points the last time they played the Trojans in LA. The favorite has covered the last four in this series and that bodes well for USC as well.
WHO TO WATCH
DeShone Kizer led Notre Dame to a come from behind victory over USC last season, but won’t have Will Fuller to rely on this time. 131 of Kizer’s 227 passing yards went to Fuller last season and his big play potential will be missed. However, Kizer isn’t just a passer, but can run the ball as well. He picked up 520 yards and tallied 10 touchdowns with his feet in 2015 and showed the ability to elude pass rushers. Kizer was held to just three yards a carry against the Trojans last season though and will look to improve upon that.
The loss of Fuller and sudden retirement of Corey Robinson has left Notre Dame without a lot of experience at the wide receiver position. That means guys like Torii Hunter Jr. will have to carry the day for the Irish. Hunter only had one catch for nine yards against the Trojans in last year’s meeting, but will be the guy that Kizer looks to the most.
JuJu Smith-Schuster emerged as the top receiver on USC last season and was one of the best in the PAC-12. Smith-Schuster caught 89 balls for 1454 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2015 and torched Notre Dame for 139 yards and a score. He has solid top-end speed but his ability to make tough catches in traffic is what separates him from other receivers at the collegiate level. It’s likely he’ll see a lot of passes thrown his way here.
There aren’t many players as athletically gifted as Adoree’ Jackson. Jackson evoked memories of Charles Woodson by playing a little offense in addition to his typical duties as a cornerback and a return man. He was the team’s second leading receiver last season and also took two punts to the house, while remaining an elite cornerback. Jackson scorched Notre Dame for an 83 yard touchdown in South Bend last year and USC will find ways to get him involved in the game.
LIVE BETTING
Notre Dame was somewhat fortunate to cover last year’s game. The Irish were a five-point favorite in this one but trailed by a touchdown heading into fourth quarter. Brian Kelly’s team ended up getting the win and the cover, but it wasn’t pretty.
QUICK PICK
USC is extremely talented and returns 17 starters from last year’s side, but people are wary of the Trojans. This team has massively underachieved respective to its talent ever since Pete Carroll returned to the NFL and there isn’t a lot of faith that Clay Helton can restore Troy to prominence. The Trojans also face what is possibly the toughest schedule in the country this year and face Notre Dame at the end of a month in which they face Oregon, Washington, and UCLA.
The Trojans might be the better team, but the schedule will have done them in by this point of the season. Notre Dame doesn’t face anything close to what USC will in the weeks prior to this game and that will give the Irish the time to rest and plan needed to win this rivalry.
College Football Odds: Notre Dame 24, USC 21
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