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Notre Dame vs. USC Prediction and Odds for College Football Week 13 (Another Pac-12 Let Down)

By Josh Yourish

Southern California Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13)
Southern California Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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Remember when Notre Dame lost to Marshall and 2022 was going to be a complete disaster for Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish? Yeah, all they’ve done since that 3-3 start is win five straight games to get to 8-3 and No. 13 in the AP poll.

They have a chance to cap off the season on a strong note if they can upset their rivals and spoil USC’s bid for the College Football Playoff. The 10-1 Trojans are on the cusp of the top four in their first year under Lincoln Riley, but first will have to finish off a one-loss regular season with a win against Notre Dame. 

Notre Dame has already upset Clemson this year and they have a chance to pull off another one this week. Let’s see what Vegas thinks about this age-old rivalry and check on the betting trends. 

Notre Dame vs. USC Odds, Spread and Total

USC and Notre Dame Betting Trends

  • USC is 7-4 ATS
  • Notre Dame is 6-5 ATS
  • The Over is 8-3 in USC games
  • The Over is 5-0 in Notre Dame's last five games
  • The Over is 5-0 in USC’s last five games
  • Home Team is 7-1 ATS in last 8 meetings

Notre Dame vs. USC Prediction and Pick

Notre Dame’s resurgence has been centered around their running game this season. Their quarterback, Drew Pyne, has been good, but against Boston College last week, they throttled the Eagles on the ground with 281 rushing yards on their way to a 44-0 win. The Fighting Irish run for 191.2 yards per game, 36th best in the country, but over their past three games they have ran for over 200 yards. USC hasn’t been able to stop the run very much this year, they are 66th defensively against the run. 

USC does it a different way. Caleb Williams could be the new Heisman favorite after his performance in the Trojans 48-45 win over UCLA last week. Williams threw for 470 yards and two touchdowns. 

Notre Dame is 16th in passing defense, they have slowed teams down through the air and if they can do it this week, they will have a good chance to upset the Trojans on the road. I’ve had a running theory for years that the Pac 12 will eliminate itself from playoff contention every chance they get and a USC let-down after a battle with UCLA fits right in. I expect Notre Dame to run all over them, be the more physical team and find a way to slow down Caleb Williams just enough. 

Oh and I like the over too. 

Pick: Notre Dame +180

Follow all Josh Yourish’s bets HERE

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change

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