The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are trending upward after four straight wins. The USC Trojans, on the other hand, haven’t been their usual dominant selves after an upset loss to Washington State and narrow victories over Texas and Utah. On Saturday, the Trojans will have the chance to get back into gear in South Bend, Ind. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on NBC (live stream).
USC vs. Notre Dame 2017 live stream: How to watch online
One of college football’s best rivalries returns to South Bend.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
USC squeaked out a one-point win against a tough Utah team last week, and a road win in one of college football’s hallowed halls would reclaim its status as a true College Football Playoff contender. Notre Dame’s one loss this season, to undefeated Georgia, keeps looking better and better, but the Irish need a signature win in 2017 to pair with their 20-point destruction of Michigan State. Fending off the Trojans would certainly count.
Time, TV channel, and streaming info
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Ind.
- TV: NBC
- Streaming: NBC Sports Live
- Odds: Notre Dame is favored by 3.5 points.
USC at Notre Dame news:
- USC Football: Who is Tyler Vaughns and how’d he become the Trojans next great wide receiver?
With a bevy of injuries to the receiving unit and Darnold’s seeming refusal to throw to anyone outside of Deontay Burnett—the Trojans were stagnating on offense. The frequently dropped passes — here’s looking at you Jalen Greene, didn’t help either but alas…
Enter Tyler Vaughns
If you believe the forward pass represented a moment when our culture took a wrong turn straight to Helltown, this is your desired setup.
It may be a surprise to see Notre Dame here, but the Irish really have gotten this far in life without having to pass. In fact, they keep the ball on the ground about as often as the gold standard for water buffalo offense, Wisconsin.
- USC won last week, but the Trojans need to fix their sloppy offense if they want to beat Notre Dame:
It was an impressive showing for the underdogs and a physical, gritty football team with a knack for finding ways to grind out wins was a 13-point underdog taking on a USC Trojans team with penchant for underperforming, turnovers, and sloppiness this season. It was a great recipe for an upset
- You can sum up Notre Dame tailback Josh Adams’ amazing season in just five awesome tweets:
If the Trojans have to move heaven and earth to stop Notre Dame from running, Wimbush’s job won’t be that hard. And if the Irish run game approximates its usual self, Wimbush should be comfortable anyway. It might only take a few big completions for Notre Dame to find the points to win.
Will Brandon Wimbush be healthy enough to be a game-changer?
Notre Dame quarterback Wimbush missed last week’s game against North Carolina due to a foot injury, but head coach Brian Kelly says he’s “100 percent healthy” for Saturday. That’s great news for the Irish, because they need their playmaking quarterback to keep USC on its toes. Wimbush isn’t an efficient passer, but his ability to keep plays alive and move the chains with his legs (402 rushing yards, eight rush TDs) make him the kind of threat the Trojans will make their top defensive priority.
USC at Notre Dame prediction:
Notre Dame’s resume looks better every week as UGA and Michigan State roll on. The Irish are worthy of their top 15 ranking, and a home environment will lead to a narrow win Saturday.
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