The Irish are set for the most important test of the season against rival No. 20 USC. With two of the most prolific offenses in the country, Lincoln Riley’s creative passing attack will take on Mike Denbrock’s crafty run and pass combination in what is sure to be a can’t-miss game. Despite the challenge, the Irish are favored by 8.5 points, but a lot must go right for Notre Dame to keep the playoff hopes alive. What are the keys to success for the Irish to win three in a row against their oldest rival?
Slow down the Trojans’ big play offense
USC is ranked first in passing offense in the country. They are first in points, yards and yards per play with Jayden Maiava at the helm. The dynamic quarterback has been one of the best passers in the country with 13 touchdowns and only two interceptions. Maiava has led this offense to scoring more than 30 in every game this season, even in the last second 34-32 loss on the road at Illinois. How can the Irish slow them down?
First, by playing strong man coverage in the secondary. Makai Lemon is USC’s best pass catcher and one of the most explosive receivers in the country. Lemon is averaging 113 yards receiving and a touchdown per game to lead the best passing offense in the country. Lemon will take on his biggest test of this season: opposite Irish sophomore cornerback Leonard Moore, who is currently rated the best man coverage corner in football by PFF. Fellow corner DeVonta Smith is questionable with a calf injury, which could thrust freshmen Dallas Golden and Mark Zackery IV into bigger roles in the secondary. The Irish defense is still conceding 351 yards per game, which ranks No. 43 in the country. Chris Ash’s unit will be tested with deep balls, confusing line-of-scrimmage looks, and a quarterback with the ability to make on-time and on-target throws.
Pressure is the key to stopping a red-hot passing attack. The Irish defense has gotten back on track rushing the passer and is now up to 2.5 sacks per game. Sophomore Boubacar Traore leads the Irish with 5.5 in six games. Against USC’s fifth-ranked offensive line in sack percentage, the Irish will have to find a way to generate blitz opportunities and force USC into negative plays. Maiava has only taken three sacks on the season and has barely been rushed in the pocket against opposing defenses. He has also rushed for four touchdowns, so containing the quarterback in the pocket and creating uncomfortable throws is the ticket. Even if they don’t manage to get Maiava on the ground often, expect Chris Ash’s defense to blitz to drop the Trojans behind the sticks on early downs.
Force USC into turnovers
The Irish have forced 11 turnovers in the last four games. Since the consecutive losses, the defense has reverted toward its 2024 self in the turnover margin, where the Irish have jumped back to nearly two takeaways per game. Facing a prolific scoring offense, the defense needs to help the Irish offense and steal possessions from the Trojans to make this game comfortable. Moore leads the Irish with three interceptions, and with more of an emphasis on one-on-one man coverage, USC will be throwing the ball up for their receivers to make plays.
Establish the run early
The Irish must be consistent with the running game early against USC. In both of the Notre Dame losses, the Irish rushed for fewer yards per attempt than their opponent. Against the Hurricanes, they did not feature the running game as they were playing from behind, and they also struggled to control the pace of the game. In order to find success with play action, the Irish must give the 950-yard duo of juniors Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price the ball early on downs and run to the outside. The Trojans’ defense stacks up similarly to Notre Dame as they are conceding 108 rushing yards per game to opposing teams. Notre Dame has the edge in recruiting, size and talent at the line of scrimmage, and they must utilize it.
Protect CJ Carr
Protecting Carr in the passing game is also paramount to Notre Dame’s success on Saturday. Notre Dame starting center Ashton Craig has been ruled out this week for a season-ending knee injury. With sophomore Joe Otting replacing Craig at the position, the Irish will have to be able to give Carr time in the pocket. USC has been porous on the back end of their defense in one-on-one coverage and relies on blitzing to get pressure. They are averaging 3.33 sacks per game, getting after the passer from the tackle, end and linebacker positions.
USC has given up 7.8 yards per pass this season and 243 yards per game. They have allowed opposing defenses to throw the ball downfield in man coverage. However, to do this, the Irish will need time for CJ Carr. Illinois threw the football for 331 yards and three touchdowns in their home win against USC, and Notre Dame hopes to reproduce the barrage. They also managed to protect their quarterback and give up only one sack. In the victory against Michigan this past weekend, the Trojans forced three sacks and an interception. The Irish hope to replicate the success of the Illinois offense, relying on the offensive line to hold up on third down and CJ Carr to make timely decisions in the pocket.
Finally, the Irish need to play like this is a desperation game, because it is. A three-loss Notre Dame team would certainly not be considered for the College Football Playoff without a ranked win on the season. To avoid any concern, the Irish must win this game against the long-time rival. Although this game is less of a must win for USC because it is not a conference game, it could be a program defining win on the road for Lincoln Riley, who has not beaten the Irish since 2022. Marcus Freeman must find a way to rally the program with the Irish’s back against the wall and all hope of a playoff season resting on a storied cross-country rivalry.
The game kicks off this Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
