Notre Dame is having a very good year. USC is not.
Notre Dame vs. USC 2018 live stream: Time, TV schedule, and how to watch online
Godspeed, Todd Helton.
Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
The Fighting Irish are one of four undefeated teams remaining in 2018, and a win in Los Angeles on Saturday would all but assure Brian Kelly’s spot in the College Football Playoff. Notre Dame has dispatched ranked foes like Michigan, Northwestern, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse en route to 11-0 and the No. 3 spot in the CFP rankings.
Southern California, on the other hand, is 5-6 on the season and one loss away from firing head coach Todd Helton. Defeat Saturday will turn the Trojans over to a new chapter in their program history. And since they’re currently 5-6 and an 11-point underdog at home, that might be a good thing.
Notre Dame vs. USC prediction:
The S&P+ ratings think the Irish are the nation’s No. 6 team (please direct all angry complaints to Bill Connelly and the concept of numbers). USC comes in at a very generous 42nd. All signs point to a Notre Dame win, and a big one.
Time, TV channel, and streaming info
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
- TV: NBC
- Streaming: NBC Sports, fuboTV
- Odds: Notre Dame is favored by 11 points.
Notre Dame vs USC news:
- If the Trojans lose, their next head coach could be ...Penn State’s James Franklin?
The industry consensus is that Clay Helton will be fired if the Trojans lose to undefeated Notre Dame on Saturday. Penn State head coach James Franklin’s name is the most prominent in early speculation about replacements.
We’re told this isn’t Franklin’s camp stoking the fire.
He fits the intangible needs people in the industry think USC needs: he’s media savvy and could stand out in the Pac-12 as an aggressive personality, had some Los Angeles recruiting experience for Washington State and Kansas State, and has already repaired a national brand that had far more significant damage.
- So, yeah, USC AD Lynn Swann’s got some work ahead of him.
- Brian Kelly knows Southern Cal is having a down year, but he also knows a team loaded with 4- and 5-star talent is still dangerous.
- The winner Saturday takes home the jeweled shillelagh, which is one of the world’s better rivalry trophies.
Will Notre Dame send a message Saturday night?
The Irish are peaking. A 42-13 win over Florida State was expected. A 36-3 destruction of then-No. 12 Syracuse was not. Notre Dame smashed the Orange to pieces last week in a clear statement to the CFP selection committee. Now Kelly’s got the opportunity to do it again — this time by dismantling another five-star program that’s seen better days. Expect quarterback Ian Book (292 yards, 2 TDs) to play a role in the process.
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