No. 12 USC Football Hosts Intersectional Rival Notre Dame
November 20, 2016 | Football
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No. 12 USC, with Pac-12 play concluded but needing help to advance to the Pac-12 Championship Game (Utah must defeat Colorado), now finishes regular season play with a key non-conference game: welcoming Notre Dame to the Coliseum on Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend for the 88th rendition of the greatest intersectional rivalry in college football. The contest will air live nationally on ABC. Troy has lost just 4 times to the Irish in the last 14 meetings, but all the losses have been since 2010, including last year in South Bend just 6 days after Clay Helton was installed as USC's interim head coach. After starting off 1-3 in 2016, the Trojans are on a 7-game winning streak (their longest since 2008-09), including a decisive victory at crosstown rival UCLA last Saturday. USC is only about .500 when facing unranked Notre Dame teams as well as when meeting the Irish after a victory over UCLA. It is the first time since 2009 that a ranked Trojan squad meets ND and the first time since 1986 that the Irish visit the Coliseum with a losing record. USC is looking for its 20th season sweep over traditional rivals UCLA and Notre Dame (it last occurred in 2011). The contest is a battle between schools with perhaps the country's most glorious gridiron heritages. The winner gets year-long possession of the jeweled Shillelagh. The Trojans are playing one of the nation's toughest schedules. All 3 of Troy's losses in 2016 have been to AP Top 25 teams away from home. It is the final Coliseum game for USC's seniors, who will run onto the field through a tunnel of former Trojan football players. Clay Helton, who already has 5 wins over ranked opponents in his 21-game coaching career (twice over Top 5 teams), has seen USC get hot thanks to a revitalized offense (8 straight games with 400-plus total yards) and an aggressive defense (holdings foes to season low point totals 6 times in the past 7 outings). Mobile redshirt freshman QB Sam Darnold, an O'Brien Award semifinalist who is third in ESPN's TQR and statistically is the country's top frosh signalcaller (he owns the USC freshman TD pass season record with 24), has been at the controls during the win string. He distributes passes to a deep group of wideouts--including WRs JuJu Smith-Schuster, who is USC's No. 6 career receiver, and Darreus Rogers (in USC's Top 20)--and tight ends. The experienced offensive line of OT Zach Banner (a Senior CLASS Award semifinalist) et al has helped USC rank among the nation's leaders in fewest sacks and tackles for loss. Explosive TB Ronald Jones II (9 rushing TDs and 3 100-yard efforts in the past 5 games) headlines USC's ground attack. Troy's defense has held 6 foes under 100 rushing yards this year and has 14 sacks in the win streak. Leading the defensive charge are the likes of LBs Michael Hutchings, Porter Gustin and Cameron Smith and DTs Rasheem Green (2 blocked field goals the past 2 games) and Stevie Tu'ikolovatu. And, of course, there's dynamic CB-WR-RET Adoree' Jackson, equally dangerous roaming the secondary (4 picks in 2016) or on special teams (he's in the national Top 10 in punt returns and kickoff returns). Jackson, All-American candidate, is a Hornung Award finalist and a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award and Lott Trophy. Coach Brian Kelly's Notre Dame squad is young, with only 7 returning starters from 2015 (there are 43 underclassmen on the depth chart and 14 true freshmen have played this year). The Irish, who will post their first losing season since 2007, have been snakebit this year as all 7 of their losses have been by 8 points or less. ND's offense is guided by multi-threat QB DeShone Kizer, who is in the national Top 25 in passing TDs and total offense. RB Josh Adams tops the team in rushing, while WRs Equanimeous St. Brown and Torii Hunter Jr. are the main pass catchers. The Irish defense is led by LB Nyles Morgan and James Onwualu and S Drue Tranquill. WR C.J. Sanders is a skilled kick and punt returner. Fans are encouraged to donate a pair of new sneakers at the game to help the homeless, an initiative started by Clay and Angela Helton. The USC men's and women's basketball teams have weekend home games.
