For a program that’s supposed to be a college football juggernaut, the USC Trojans have been anything but. Firing head coach Clay Helton a few weeks ago has done nothing to change the direction. The Trojans have alternated wins and losses with disturbing setbacks to Stanford, Oregon State and last time out to Utah. They head to South Bend to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday in the latest installment of this rivalry, which has seen the Irish win the last four games on its own turf.
This Week 8 college football matchup takes place on Saturday, October 23, 2021, at 7:30 p.m. ET at Notre Dame Stadium and will be televised on NBC. College football odds are available at BookMaker.eu for this and every game this season.
College Football Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
USC Trojans +6.5
Notre Dame Fighting Irish -6.5
Total 57
Odds Analysis
Both teams are coming off a bye and that could benefit Notre Dame, which is 12-2 SU in its last 14 post-bye contests. Last time out the Irish squeaked past Virginia Tech 32-29 on the road as a 1-point dog. They are 5-1 SU and 3-3 ATS, but they’ve covered in three of their last four games and are laying 6.5-points in this one. USC is just 3-3 SU and ATS this season, but they’ve been at their best on the road winning twice away from home to extend their overall road winning streak to seven with four consecutive covers. Notre Dame has owned the series recently winning three straight and six of the last eight while going 4-4 ATS. The opening total of 57 is the second lowest in the last seven encounters.
USC Trojans
They already made a coaching change now interim Donte Williams has suggested more changes are coming. For a team that’s 3-3 and coming off a 16-point loss that’s probably not a bad thing. “We need to be making sure that we’re playing the right guys, calling the right plays, doing things the right way,” Williams said after their 42-26 loss to Utah. Sounds like coaching 101 right there, but I guess you have to start somewhere.
The Trojans were expected to be much better than a .500 team halfway through the season. It seems like we’ve been saying that for the past few years. Once again the program has underachieved. The series was interrupted last year due to COVID denying the Trojans a chance to end a three-game skid. Getting out of LA might be the best thing for them. They lost their last three at home all by at least two touchdowns while being favored in all of them.
The team has lacked consistency alternating wins and losses. Their three setbacks were all by at least two 14 points while they won both road games by more than 20 points. They can be explosive with Kedon Slovis leading the 11th ranked passing attack against an Irish pass defense that ranks 87th.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
You can call them lucky or good but the Irish have been able to win a handful of close games. Their outright at Virginia Tech a few weeks ago was their third victory by a field goal along with a pair over Florida State and Toledo to open the season. ND was a big favorite in those first two games failing to cover. They’ve gone 3-1 ATS since with their only SU loss at home to a good Cincinnati squad.
The Irish have been tough to figure out. With Kyren Williams and Chris Tyree in the offensive backfield the ground game should be much better than it’s been. They are averaging less than 100 yards putting them near the bottom of the FBS rankings. And Jack Coan was benched in the last outing, but he should be back behind center on Saturday.
One thing the Irish have going for them is their recent success against USC. They’ve won three straight and six of the last eight meetings with a four-game home winning streak in the series. ND averaged 33.5 points in those four games cashing the OVER in two of the last three. And the offense will benefit from the expected return of leading receiver Michael Mayer giving Coan an extra weapon in the passing attack.
USC at Notre Dame Prediction
There could be an added element to this rivalry since there wasn’t a game last season. And USC could add a wrinkle with new formations and schemes installed during the bye, something Notre Dame won’t be familiar with. The same goes the other way, too, so I expect to see a lot of offense in a USC cover.
BookMaker Pick: USC Trojans +6.5 / OVER 57
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