Since the calendar flipped to October, Notre Dame football has been led by its defense. While the high-flying Irish offense looked sluggish at times in recent wins against Boise State and NC State, it’s been able to play without any pressure thanks to what’s happened on the other side of the football.
Over their last 14 quarters, the Irish have conceded 34 points. That’s quite the improvement for defensive coordinator Chris Ash’s unit, which had surrendered 91 points through its first 10 quarters of 2025.
“We're playing more consistent together as a unit, and obviously we're eliminating some explosive plays that we had given up in a couple of those games early on,” Ash said. “The guys just show up to work every single day. They know what we have to do to improve … and, to their credit, they've gone out and worked hard to try to make that happen.”
Both junior linebacker Drayk Bowen and sophomore linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa identified communication as a leading contributor for defensive improvement.
“I think it's just people knowing exactly what they're supposed to do and kind of [having] a clarity of what everyone's doing on the field,” Bowen said. “There's no gray at all. It’s black and white.”
Bowen also astutely pointed out that understanding assignments will be critical against this week’s opponent, No. 20 USC, a team that often uses motions to pick off what the defense is trying to do. And that’s just one layer of the onion. Whether heavily utilizing pre-snap motion or not, the Trojans regularly bring one of the nation’s strongest offenses to the table, and that’s the case again this year.
“They're talented. They've got speed. They've got a good scheme,” Ash said. “It starts with the players. They’ve got good players, and then when you match that with a good scheme, they just put stress on you every play for 60 minutes, and you’ve got to be on your job and all the details for 60 minutes.”
As far as playmakers go, the Trojans are loaded, but not without question marks. USC has seen its deep running back room slashed with long-term injuries to Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders, who have combined for more than 800 rushing yards but will both miss the Notre Dame game. That leaves walk-on King Miller, who averages 10.7 yards per carry and manhandled Michigan with 158 rushing yards last week as the top back.
On Monday, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman demanded that Saturday’s game be a “bloody” one. Not in terms of further injuring USC, but instead with regard to Notre Dame’s physicality.
“It's just a game that's gonna be won in the trenches,” Viliamu-Asa said.
USC’s weapons are more solidified at wide receiver, a traditional position of strength for the Trojans. Makai Lemon is an established star, as he ranks second nationally with 682 receiving yards through just six games. His sidekick, Ja’Kobi Lane, has been quieter but was a touchdown machine last season. The Trojans also feature two notable tight end threats in Lake McRee and Walker Lyons.
Second-year starting quarterback Jayden Maiava ties it all together for a USC offense that is top-two in college football in points per game, yards per game and yards per play. Last season, Maiava did not become the starter until November, but he still gave the Irish trouble in their Nov. 30 matchup, recording 360 passing yards and five total touchdowns. This season, he tops the nation in quarterback rating.
At this point, if you’ve watched past Notre Dame-USC games, you might be thinking about Caleb Williams. As the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, he led the unbeaten Trojans into South Bend in 2023, and the Irish put him in a torture chamber for 60 minutes with their pressure and coverage. They’ll seek a similar outcome with Maiava on Saturday night.
“We have to affect the quarterback, but you have to do that in different ways,” Ash said. “It's not necessarily just about sacks.”
It might even be about ending the rivalry as we know it on the desired terms. The future of Notre Dame-USC isn’t certain right now, but the intensity of its participants will always be a guarantee. Bowen, an Indiana native, aims to channel the game’s historical significance into his play.
“There's a long history for Notre Dame and USC, and so playing this game – people before that have played really well in this game are legends — so this is one of the biggest games of our season, their season,” Bowen said. “It's something you mark on your calendar every year and make sure that you're ready for USC.”
Ash isn’t oblivious to the stakes, either. At other coaching stops, he’s played a hand in showdowns like The Game and the Red River Rivalry, but he’s aware of the reverence and attention that college football’s greatest intersectional rivalry demands.
“I've been a part of some other big ones – Ohio State-Michigan, Texas-Oklahoma, and then this one,” Ash said. “I feel really fortunate to be here [and] to have this opportunity to be in this game … It's one of the best rivalries in all of sports, so it's gonna be a great atmosphere and a great opportunity to go out and play on Saturday night.”
