Iron Bowl, The Game and the best rivalry games die-hard fans have to watch Thanksgiving week
By Cephas Evans
(3) Notre Dame vs. USC – Saturday 8:00 pm – ABC
When Notre Dame visits USC on Saturday night, they will be playing for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Last weekend, Notre Dame sent a message to the Playoff committee by destroying No. 12 Syracuse 36-3. The Fighting Irish defense held the top-ranked Syracuse offense to 234 total yards and forced three turnovers, which allowed Notre Dame to cruise to an easy victory. If they plan on rolling over the Trojans, they will need a similar performance out of their top-10 defense. Southern Cal has been lackluster on the offensive side of the ball, but have a stable of athletes who have the ability to make game-changing plays.
Southern Cal will be fighting for their sixth win on the year, which would make them bowl eligible for the seventh straight season. The Trojans are led by freshman quarterback JT Daniels, who has shown brief flashes of why he was a five-star recruit, but for the most part, has been largely inconsistent. Although an upset victory for the Trojans doesn’t seem likely, this team is loaded with talent and has the ability to challenge Notre Dame if they can put it all together.
The Trojans may not be playing for a spot in the College Football Playoff, but they are still going to fight for bowl eligibility, so don’t expect them to lay down for Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish are favored by 9.5 points and will win outright, but USC will cover the spread in a competitive game.