National predictions for No. 20 USC Trojans at No. 13 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The USC Trojans are set to visit the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday evening in South Bend. Heading into a critical game for both programs, we round up the national predictions for Trojans – Irish.
Joel Klatt
Pick: Notre Dame
“While I like Notre Dame to win this game, I think it’s a high-scoring one-score game, which has been commonplace for USC. I think Notre Dame wins this one 37-30, which means I’m taking the 9 and a half for USC in this ball game.”
Josh Pate
Pick: Notre Dame
“I think Notre Dame’s going to win the game. I will roll the dice that USC’s able to cover this number…I’m going Notre Dame to win and I’m going USC to cover. Which, in the end, is just another possible one-possession loss that USC looks at and says, ‘Ah, we let another one get away.'”
College Football News
Big Game Ben: Notre Dame*
E: Notre Dame*
Nathan Erbach: Notre Dame
Pete Fiutak: Notre Dame* 34-30
John Kennedy: Notre Dame*
Jackson Langendorf: Notre Dame*
Andrew Margolick: Notre Dame*
Jake Margolick: Notre Dame
Doug Millen: Notre Dame*
Johnny Rosenstein: Notre Dame*
Joshua Schulman: Notre Dame
Nick Shepkowski: Notre Dame*
CBS Sports
Tom Fornelli: Notre Dame
Chip Patterson: Notre Dame
Brandon Marcello: Notre Dame
John Talty: Notre Dame
Richard Johnson: Notre Dame
Shehan Jeyarajah: USC
David Cobb: Notre Dame
Brad Crawford: Notre Dame
Chris Hummer: Notre Dame
ESPN
Matchup Predictor: Notre Dame 68.9% chance to win
FPI projection: Notre Dame by 5.1 points
SP+ projection: Notre Dame by 3.1 points
Pete Thamel: “I like Notre Dame in this game,” Thamel stated. “I want to give Lincoln Riley and USC a lot of credit for the Michigan win. That was as big of a win as USC has had probably since the LSU game to start last season.
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“Since they have entered the Big Ten, they have not been able to slug with Big Ten opponents. I think back to the Minnesota game on the road last year, the Maryland game on the road last year. I just wonder if the totality of the DNA of toughness in USC is going to be ready for Notre Dame, for South Bend, for the environment, for the stakes.
“They’ve had issues at running back. So, I will take the Irish in this game. But I do think it will be close and we could see a classic.”
Rece Davis: “I think it’s going to be a great game too. I’m going to take Notre Dame,” Davis said. “I think Notre Dame is right there. They’re right there. I think USC is really good. And a big, big thing in this game is going to be turnovers. … In the Riley–Freeman era, Notre Dame does have an edge in turnover margin, but where it’s really been amplified is the last two meetings. The Irish lead the turnover margin seven to two. That’s bad.”
The Athletic
Notre Dame writer Pete Sampson
If Carr meets the moment, Notre Dame should have enough offense to pull away from USC during the second half and keep this season on the tracks. The Irish have been sneaky good after halftime all season, even during those losses to Miami and Texas A&M. Keep it even through two quarters, and the run game of Love and Price can lean on the Trojans enough to create some daylight after dark. That’s when Carr should be able to deliver the final blow against a USC defense that ranks among the Power 4’s worst against the pass. The Irish hammered the Trojans the last time they visited South Bend. This USC team feels better built, but so does this version of Notre Dame.
Notre Dame 42, USC 27
