2017 Game 8: USC vs. Notre Dame
October 20, 2017 | Football, USC Ripsit Blog, Features
The Trojans have not won in South Bend since 2011.
No. 11 USC Trojans (6-1) at No. 13 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-1)
Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, at 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET on NBC
Irish to Watch: Junior RB Josh_Adams
Adams is the 7th leading rusher in the nation, averaging 129.33 yards per game on the ground. The Trojans witnessed his talents firsthand last year in the Coliseum when Adams ran for 180 yards in a losing effort. He is big and powerful at 6-foot-2 and 225 lbs., but also explosive, ranking 6th in the nation in yards per carry (9.02 ypc). He is the centerpiece of the 5th-ranked offense in the country.
Click here for more on the Fighting Irish.
3 Keys
The Obvious
The Trojans must stop the run. Notre Dame QB Brandon Wimbush is a talented but inconsistent passer, completing just 52.3 percent of his throws. However, he is a dynamic runner, contributing 402 yards and a team-leading 8 touchdowns on the ground. On the season, the Fighting Irish have 23 rushing touchdowns, and they've only allowed 1 against them, so their strategy is simply to dominate the line of scrimmage. USC will need to match that physicality like Georgia did, holding Notre Dame to 55 yards rushing in its only loss. The Trojans will have to do so without starting DT Josh Fatu (concussion protocol).
Turn and Burn
If USC accomplishes its highest goals this season, the second half performance against Utah will be seen as the turning point. Offensively, the Trojans got their groove back as QB Sam Darnold played a clean and efficient 30 minutes to lead the comeback. To beat Notre Dame, USC will have to use its superior skill and speed. After being hit with a rash of injuries in late September, the Trojans are as healthy as they've been since the Stanford game, and they will need a similarly impressive offensive performance to survive South Bend.
Meet the Moment
USC has owned Notre Dame in its recent trips to the Coliseum, blowing out ragged Fighting Irish squads in 2014 and 2016. But in South Bend, the Trojans have fallen short the last two times with interim head coaches in charge. USC has found stability now under head coach Clay Helton, winning 15 of its last 16, but so has Notre Dame, which has shaped a powerful identity this season. The winner will be seen as a College Football Playoff contender, but given the history of this matchup, the legacy will be far greater. Helton has narrowed the focus of his team to keeping the Shillelagh in Heritage Hall for another year.
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Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, at 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET on NBC
Irish to Watch: Junior RB Josh_AdamsAdams is the 7th leading rusher in the nation, averaging 129.33 yards per game on the ground. The Trojans witnessed his talents firsthand last year in the Coliseum when Adams ran for 180 yards in a losing effort. He is big and powerful at 6-foot-2 and 225 lbs., but also explosive, ranking 6th in the nation in yards per carry (9.02 ypc). He is the centerpiece of the 5th-ranked offense in the country.
Click here for more on the Fighting Irish.
3 Keys
The Obvious
The Trojans must stop the run. Notre Dame QB Brandon Wimbush is a talented but inconsistent passer, completing just 52.3 percent of his throws. However, he is a dynamic runner, contributing 402 yards and a team-leading 8 touchdowns on the ground. On the season, the Fighting Irish have 23 rushing touchdowns, and they've only allowed 1 against them, so their strategy is simply to dominate the line of scrimmage. USC will need to match that physicality like Georgia did, holding Notre Dame to 55 yards rushing in its only loss. The Trojans will have to do so without starting DT Josh Fatu (concussion protocol).
Turn and Burn
If USC accomplishes its highest goals this season, the second half performance against Utah will be seen as the turning point. Offensively, the Trojans got their groove back as QB Sam Darnold played a clean and efficient 30 minutes to lead the comeback. To beat Notre Dame, USC will have to use its superior skill and speed. After being hit with a rash of injuries in late September, the Trojans are as healthy as they've been since the Stanford game, and they will need a similarly impressive offensive performance to survive South Bend.
Meet the Moment
USC has owned Notre Dame in its recent trips to the Coliseum, blowing out ragged Fighting Irish squads in 2014 and 2016. But in South Bend, the Trojans have fallen short the last two times with interim head coaches in charge. USC has found stability now under head coach Clay Helton, winning 15 of its last 16, but so has Notre Dame, which has shaped a powerful identity this season. The winner will be seen as a College Football Playoff contender, but given the history of this matchup, the legacy will be far greater. Helton has narrowed the focus of his team to keeping the Shillelagh in Heritage Hall for another year.
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