No. 13 Notre Dame is hosting No. 20 USC for a Week 8 matchup on Saturday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET in South Bend, Indiana.
The Fighting Irish are listed as 9.5-point home favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at 61.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and best bet for this non-conference rivalry matchup between Notre Dame and USC.
USC vs. Notre Dame prediction, preview
USC Preview
This is a massive game for the Trojans. This is one of the most talented teams of Lincoln Riley’s tenure. They have a real shot of making it to the College Football Playoff, but they can only afford one loss the rest of the season. USC already dropped a tight one to Illinois on the road earlier this season. It still has to play Oregon and Nebraska on the road later this season, giving the team little room for error. Quarterback Jayden Maiava will need to bring his best stuff for USC to win this game. Notre Dame is likely to put up points, so Maiava will need to outduel CJ Carr. Maiava has been one of the best quarterbacks in the country this season, ranking third in the nation in passing yards per game. His incredible wide receiver, Makai Lemon, will need to make some special plays because USC is banged up in the running back room.
Notre Dame Preview
The Fighting Irish have battled back from a 0-2 start to the season to get themselves in a position to likely make the College Football Playoff if they win out. In retrospect, those were not bad losses. They lost to Miami on the road, then to Texas A&M by one point. Those are two of the top four teams in the country in the latest AP Top 25. However, a third loss would knock Notre Dame out of CFP contention. Notre Dame has a relatively easy last five games of the season, so this is its last serious test. With a win in this game, Notre Dame has a real case to be a College Football Playoff team. The offense is not a concern. CJ Carr has played at a high level at quarterback, and Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price are one of the best running back duos in the nation. If the defense can hold up against USC’s passing attack, Notre Dame should cruise to a win at home.
USC vs. Notre Dame pick, best bet
My best bet for this game is for USC to cover the 9.5-point spread. The injuries to the USC running back room are a concern, but Maiava is capable of putting this team on his back. USC ranks first in the country in offensive EPA/pass. The Maiava to Lemon connection has been incredible, and Notre Dame will struggle to cover the Trojans on the outside. Texas A&M has similar explosivness with its weapons on the outside, putting up 41 points against Notre Dame. Notre Dame is likely to try to slow this game down with its rushing attack, which should make this a more methodical game. While that is likely the best strategy for a Notre Dame win, it should also keep the game tighter. This number also presents a tremendous backdoor opportunity if USC is down two scores late in the game. The Trojans have the exact offense you would want to get in the backdoor late in the game if necessary. This should be a tight game between two great offenses, and USC will keep it within a score.
