The Shillelagh Trophy is up for grabs in South Bend.
#13 Notre Dame has bounced back from a difficult start to reel off four straight wins. However, Saturday presents one last chance for the Fighting Irish to earn a marquee win. Tonight’s visitors, #20 USC, are fresh off of a dominant 31-13 victory over Michigan. Both schools wield dangerous offenses and defensive question marks. In other words, this contest has must-watch shootout potential.
Who will etch their name into the history of this historic rivalry? These are the top college football player props to consider at DraftKings Sportsbook for Week 8’s matchup between the USC Trojans and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame enters Week 8 as 9.5-point favorites over USC, with the over/under set at 62.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook.
USC vs. Notre Dame best prop bets
CJ Carr 280+ passing yards (-131)
If there’s an Achilles’ heel for the Trojans, it’s their pass defense. Southern California is allowing 7.8 yards per pass attempt, the fourth-worst mark in the Big Ten. The secondary showed signs of improvement last week, holding Michigan’s Bryce Underwood to 207 passing yards. However, the Wolverines operate a run-heavy offense. The same can’t be said for Notre Dame. Running back Jeremiyah Love is the engine that makes the Irish go. However, he’s been joined this season by talented freshman CJ Carr. Through six games, the youngster has thrown for 1,622 yards and 13 touchdowns.
That level of success through the air is no accident. Defenses are often forced to stack the box in order to contain Love. As a result, there’s usually plenty of room for this ND passing game to operate. Carr has thrown for at least 290 yards in half of his appearances this season. All three of those games came against Power-4 schools. In a game that could see plenty of scoring, the Fighting Irish will need to take advantage of USC’s biggest weakness. Another prolific day through the air could be in store for this first-year phenom.
Ja’Kobi Lane anytime touchdown scorer (+160)
Speaking of USC’s offense, the team is led by star quarterback Jayden Maiava. The junior’s favorite target this season has been Makai Lemon. Over six outings, the wide receiver has hauled in 44 catches for a whopping 682 yards. On paper, there’s no reason to think the duo won’t find success again on Saturday. However, they’ll have to do so against one of the nation’s best in Leonard Moore. The All-American is a true lockdown cornerback, capable of blanketing anyone. Lemon is talented enough to produce regardless of who is covering him. Still, it’s not a bet I’d be willing to take.
With that being said, one cornerback isn’t enough to fade USC’s potent offense. After all, Notre Dame has allowed a lackluster 245.3 passing yards per game this season. Picking on anyone not named Moore has proved to be a viable strategy. That means Lemon’s teammates could be due for a big performance. If any other Trojan is going to step up, it’s Ja’Kolbi Lane. The junior has snagged 18 catches for 313 yards and two touchdowns so far. At 6’4″, he’s also an ideal red zone target for Maiava. In a game that should see several big plays, a Lane TD at +160 feels like good value.
