When you think of the very best rivalries in all of college football, Notre Dame vs USC is typically one of the first that is mentioned. Even though Trojan head coach Lincoln Riley is trying to kill it, this is a matchup with a lot of history and two fanbases that hate the other. This is what makes college football so great – the intensity of competitive hatred, the raw emotions, and epic football games. 

On the side of the Fighting Irish, Marcus Freeman’s squad heads into this game with all of their goals still in front of them. With two losses on their resume, the margin for error is very small right now. The team needs to keep winning games in order to make the College Football Playoffs in the end. USC is the biggest remaining test on the schedule. 

Coming into the game with a 5-1 overall record, USC also has a lot to play for. They will be traveling to South Bend for this contest, which won’t be an easy test. The Trojan offense has been stellar this year behind the right arm of quarterback Jayden Maiava. With how potent the Irish offense has been as well, this promises to be one of the more intriguing offensive matchups we have seen in this series in several years. That should bring a ton of entertainment for the average fan. 

The staff at A to Z Sports made their game predictions for this intriguing matchup. It promises to be a very good one, or at least a very entertaining contest. 

Notre Dame 34, USC 31

Heading into the 2025 college football season, Notre Dame was expected to have an elite defense and an improved passing attack. While Chris Ash’s defense has played well lately, that unit has been considerably worse than most people anticipated. On the other side, redshirt freshman quarterback CJ Carr has been even better than most believed as well, at least early on. This game feels like a shootout between Carr and USC signal caller Jayden Maiava, and fireworks could follow. It comes down to which quarterback you expect to make the biggest play in the key moment, and which defense is most likely to make a crucial stop. I believe Notre Dame is the safer bet to make both. – Ryan Roberts, A to Z Notre Dame 

USC 35, Notre Dame 31

Saturday’s showdown between Notre Dame and USC has all the ingredients for a classic, but this feels like the moment the Trojans make their statement. Quarterback Jayden Maiava has been in rhythm lately, showing excellent command of Lincoln Riley’s offense and delivering with both his arm and legs. His chemistry with wideouts Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane – two of the most dynamic receivers in the country – has helped transform USC’s passing game into one of college football’s most dangerous units. Notre Dame will make things difficult at home, as their defense is disciplined and physical, and playing in South Bend is never easy. Still, USC’s offense seems to be clicking at the right time, and their explosiveness could prove too much to handle down the stretch. Expect a tight, high-scoring affair, but the Trojans’ big-play ability ultimately wins out. – Brentley Weissman, A to Z Sports Oregon 

Notre Dame 34, USC 28

Notre Dame-USC is always a matchup to circle for memorable moments, and this year’s edition should be no different thanks to two very good offenses and quarterbacks routinely delivering every week. USC’s high-octane offense led by Jaydan Maiava sits No. 1 in the country in EPA per play, but Notre Dame’s dynamic duo of CJ Carr and Jeremiyah Love have the Irish not far behind. Both teams have had their struggles in close games throughout this season, but are no doubt going to bring their A-games after strong performances last weekend. With these two offenses, it feels like a bit of a shootout could break out in South Bend. In classic Lincoln Riley fashion, it feels like a game that will come down to which defense will make enough plays to be the difference maker, and for that, I’m going to trust Marcus Freeman and the talent of Notre Dame’s defense to be just enough to outlast the Trojans. – AJ Schulte, A to Z Sports Oklahoma 

USC 24, Notre Dame 21

I’m going to be the one to go for the upset here, but it’s very hard for me to pick against the offense that USC showed last week, even with their starting running back out for the year. Lincoln Riley really cooked Michigan last week, and Michigan is no bad defense. They really made an effort to get the ball out in space and use Makai Lemon and Jakobi Lane, the best wide receiver duo in the country. And when Jaiden Maiava plays that way, their offense is hard to beat. I think, outside of Miami and Texas A&M, Notre Dame hasn’t played an offense like the one they will play on Saturday. – Justin Churchill, A to Z Sports Oklahoma 

We’ll be back with more Notre Dame and USC Trojans coverage here at A to Z Sports soon! Follow me @RiseNDraft and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!

Notre Dame Fighting Irish News

Notre Dame is dealt a difficult injury update, Fighting Irish offense forced to reshuffle to find replacement for vital starter

Notre Dame football is riding some nice momentum after four straight victories. The offense, unfortunately, has received some difficult injury news.

Ryan Roberts