Previewing Saturday's Notre Dame-Southern California game in South Bend
Michael WanbaughIt's billed as the greatest intersectional rivalry in college football. Notre Dame and USC first met on the gridiron in 1926. Saturday will be the 92nd meeting between the two schools, the second most of any Irish opponent.
► Gameday:#13 Notre Dame football vs. USC: TV, radio, odds, weather
Only Navy (93 times) has appeared on Notre Dame's schedule more.
No. 13 Notre Dame (5-1) vs. USC (3-3)
Kickoff: Saturday at 7:30 p.m. EDT
Where: Notre Dame Stadium
TV: NBC/Peacock
Radio: WSBT (AM 960), WNSN-FM (101.5)
Line: Notre Dame by 7
Preview coverage
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Irish Items for USC
♦ Saturday will be the 92nd meeting between Notre Dame and USC, the second most of any Irish opponent. Notre Dame leads the series 49-37-5. Only Navy (93 times) has appeared on the Irish schedule more.
♦ The Irish and the Trojans began their annual series in 1926 — A 13-12 Notre Dame win in Los Angeles — and have played every year since with the exception of World War II (1943-45) and last year when Notre Dame played one season in the ACC because of COVID.
♦ Notre Dame has won the past three meetings and four of the past five. The longest winning streak for the Irish was 11 from 1983-1993. With a tie in 1994 and a Notre Dame win in 1995, USC was winless against the Irish for 13 seasons.
♦ The Trojans were 11-2 vs. Notre Dame from 1970-82 and won eight straight from 2002-2009.
♦ USC is unranked when facing the Irish for the third straight meeting and eighth time since 2010. Notre Dame has won 36 consecutive games against unranked opponents dating back to 2016, the longest active streak in FBS.
♦ Notre Dame and USC have produced 13 Heisman trophy winners between the two schools. Notre Dame is tied with Oklahoma and Ohio State with seven. USC also had seven until 2005 winner Reggie Bush forfeited his award for NCAA violations. Tim Brown in 1987 was Notre Dame’s most recent winner.
♦ Saturday will be a trophy game as the two rivals battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh, a club made of blackthorn saplings from Ireland that was introduced in 1952. A ruby is added to the club for USC games and an emerald for Notre Dame wins. The first foot-long shillelagh was retired in 1995 and a second, longer one introduced.
♦ Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly is 7-3 in games against USC. The previous three Irish coaches — Bob Davie, Tyrone Willingham and Charlie Weis — were a combined 3-10 against the Trojans from 1997-2009. Neither Willingham nor Weis won a game vs. USC.
NOTRE DAME two-deep roster
OFFENSE
Quarterback
17 Jack Coan | 6-3, 223 | Graduate
12 Tyler Buchner | 6-1, 215 | Freshman
Running back
23 Kyren Williams | 5-9, 199 | Junior
25 Chris Tyree | 5-10, 190 | Sophomore
Field receiver
0 Braden Lenzy | 5-11, 182 | Senior
21 Lorenzo Styles Jr. | 6-1, 195 | Freshman
Slot receiver
3 Avery Davis | 5-11, 202 | Graduate
21 Lorenzo Styles Jr. | 6-1, 195 | Freshman
Boundary receiver
4 Kevin Austin Jr. | 6-2, 215 | Senior
16 Deion Colzie | 6-5, 207 | Freshman
Tight end
87 Michael Mayer | 6-5, 251 | Sophomore
85 George Takacs | 6-6, 247 | Senior
Left tackle
76 Joe Alt | 6-8; 305 | Freshman
OR 79 Tosh Baker | 6-8, 307 | Sophomore
Left guard
73 Andrew Kristofic | 6-5, 295 | Junior
52 Zeke Correll | 6-3, 295 | Junior
Center
55 Jarrett Patterson | 6-5, 307 | Senior
52 Zeke Correll | 6-3, 295 | Junior
Right guard
62 Cain Madden | 6-3, 310 | Graduate
56 John Dirksen | 6-5, 306 | Senior
Right tackle
75 Josh Lugg | 6-7, 305 | Graduate
79 Tosh Baker | 6-8, 307 | Sophomore
DEFENSE
Vyper defensive end
7 Isaiah Foskey | 6-5, 260 | Junior
9 Justin Ademilola | 6-2, 255 | Senior
Defensive tackle
57 Jayson Ademilola | 6-3, 280 | Senior
99 Rylie Mills | 6-5, 283 | Sophomore
Nose guard
41 Kurt Hinish | 6-2, 300 | Graduate
56 Howard Cross III | 6-1; 275 | Junior
Big defensive end
95 Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa | 6-3, 268 | Graduate
31 NaNa Osafo-Mensah | 6-3, 250 | Junior
Mike linebacker
40 Drew White | 6-0, 228 | Graduate
52 Bo Bauer | 6-3, 233 | Senior
Will linebacker
27 JD Bertrand | 6-1, 230 | Junior
32 Prince Kollie | 6-1, 222 | Freshman
Rover linebacker
24 Jack Kiser | 6-2, 224 | Junior
OR 10 Isaiah Pryor | 6-2, 217 | Graduate
Boundary cornerback
6 Clarence Lewis | 6-0, 193 | Sophomore
11 Ramon Henderson | 6-1, 190 | Sophomore
Field cornerback
5 Cam Hart | 6-3, 205 | Junior
28 TaRiq Bracy | 5-10, 177 | Senior
Free safety
14 Kyle Hamilton | 6-4, 220 | Junior
2 DJ Brown | 6-0, 200 | Senior
Strong safety
3 Houston Griffith | 6-0, 202 | Senior
2 DJ Brown | 6-0, 200 | Senior
Nickelback
28 TaRiq Bracy | 5-10, 177 | Senior
11 Ramon Henderson | 6-1, 190 | Sophomore
SPECIAL TEAMS
Place-kicker
39 Jonathan Doerer | 6-3, 197 | Graduate
91 Josh Bryan | 6-0, 183 | Freshman
Punter
19 Jay Bramblett | 6-2, 197 | Junior
39 Jonathan Doerer | 6-3, 197 | Graduate
Long snapper
65 Michael Vinson | 6-2, 230 | Senior
44 Alex Peitsch | 6-1, 210 | Sophomore
Holder
19 Jay Bramblett | 6-2, 197 | Junior
30 Jake Rittman | 6-3, 210 | Senior
Kickoffs
39 Jonathan Doerer | 6-3, 197 | Graduate
91 Josh Bryan | 6-0, 183 | Freshman
Kick returner
25 Chris Tyree | 5-10, 190 | Sophomore
29 Matt Salerno | 6-1, 199 | Senior
Punt returner
23 Kyren Williams | 5-9, 199 | Junior
OR 29 Matt Salerno | 6-1, 199 | Senior
USC two-deep roster
OFFENSE
X receiver
15 Drake London | 6-5, 210 | Jr.
81 Kyle Ford | 6-2, 225 | So.
A receiver
1 Gary Bryant Jr. | 5-11, 170 | Fr.
14 Joseph Manjack IV | 6-3, 205 | Fr.
Y receiver
8 Michael Trigg | 6-4, 245 | Fr.
19 Malcolm Epps | 6-6, 245 | Jr.
Z receiver
16 Tahj Washington | 5-11, 175 | So.*
21 K.D. Nixon | 5-8, 190, Sr.
Tight end
84 Erik Krommenhoek | 6-6, 250 | Sr.
OR 18 Jude Wolfe | 6-6, 245 | So.
Left tackle
74 Courtland Ford | 6-6, 305 | Fr.
70 Jalen McKenzie | 6-5, 320 | Sr.
Left guard
72 Andrew Vorhees | 6-6, 320 | Sr.
57 Justin Dedich | 6-2, 300 | Jr.
Center
62 Brett Neilon | 6-2, 302 | Sr.
78 Andrew Milek | 6-5, 305 | Fr.
Right guard
71 Liam Jimmons | 6-5, 320 | Sr.
68 Liam Douglass | 6-5, 315 | Jr.
Right tackle
79 Jonah Monheim | 6-5, 295 | Fr.
70 Jalen McKenzie | 6-5, 320 | Sr.
Quarterback
9 Kedon Slovis | 6-3, 205 | Jr.
2 Jaxson Dart | 6-3, 215 | Fr.
Running back
28 Keaontay Ingram | 6-0, 215 | Sr.
OR 6 Vavae Malepeai | 6-0, 220 | Sr.
DEFENSE
Defensive end
50 Nick Figueroa | 6-5, 275 | Sr.
0 Korey Foreman | 6-5, 265 | Fr.
Nose tackle
47 Stanley Ta’ufo’ou | 6-3, 275 | So.
77 Jamar Sekona | 6-2, 295 | Fr.
Defensive tackle
49 Tuli Tuipulotu | 6-5, 290 | So.
97 Jacob Lichtenstein | 6-6, 270 | Jr.
B linebacker
99 Drake Jackson | 6-4, 250 | Jr.
31 Hunter Echols | 6-5, 245 | Sr.
Mac linebacker
26 Kana’i Mauga | 6-2, 245 | Sr.
44 Tuasivi Nomura | 6-1, 240 | So.
Rover
10 Ralen Goforth | 6-2, 235 | Jr.
OR 18 Raymond Scott | 6-2, 235 | Jr.
Cornerback
8 Chris Steele | 6-1, 190 | Jr.
14 Jayden Williams | 6-1, 195 | Jr.
Free safety
21 Isaiah Pola-Mao | 6-4, 205 | Sr.
29 Xavion Alford | 6-0, 190 | Fr.
Strong safety
7 Chase Williams | 6-2, 200 | Jr.
30 Chris Thompson Jr. | 6-1, 210 | So.
Nickle
1 Greg Johnson | 5-11, 195 | Sr.
27 Calen Bullock | 6-3, 180 | Fr.
Cornerback
6 Isaac Taylor-Stuart | 6-2, 200 | Jr.
23 Joshua Jackson Jr. | 6-1, 195 | Fr.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Punter
24 Ben Griffiths | 6-7, 240 | Jr.
36 Will Rose | 6-2, 190 | So.
Place kicker
48 Parker Lewis | 6-3, 205 | So.
38 Alex Stadthaus | 6-2, 195 | Jr.
Kickoffs
48 Parker Lewis | 6-3, 205 | So.
38 Alex Stadthaus | 6-2, 195 | Jr.
Long snapper
59 Damon Johnson | 6-0, 210 | Sr.
39 Jac Casasante | 6-0, 215 | Jr.
Holder
24 Ben Griffiths | 6-7, 240 | Jr.
36 Will Rose | 6-2, 190 | So.
Kickoff returns
1 Gary Bryant Jr. | 5-11, 170 | Fr.
21 K.D. Nixon | 5-8, 190 | Sr.
Punt returns
1 Gary Bryant Jr. | 5-11, 170 | Fr.
21 K.D. Nixon | 5-8, 190 | Sr.