USC Football 2018: 5 reasons Trojans will upset Notre Dame

As an 11-point underdog at home, USC football needs to beat Notre Dame to reach bowl eligibility. Here are five reasons the Trojans will prevail over the Irish.

It has been an up-or-down season in 2018 that could spell doom for Clay Helton‘s job at the helm of the USC program. The Trojans come into the final game of the season needing to beat their traditional rival Notre Dame to reach six wins and become bowl eligible. If the Trojans fail to win the Jeweled Shillelagh, they will be shut out of the postseason picture.

While the Trojans have faced a downturn in 2018 after several strong years led by quarterback Sam Darnold, they have the chance to make everything evaporate with a big win in a rivalry game. Getting to six wins could be just enough to protect Helton’s job at USC, as the Trojans get to one of the lower-tier Pac-12 bowl games and emerge as a favorite for victory in the postseason.

As a team that enters the contest expected to lose by 11 points, why will USC pull off the upset on Saturday against their longtime rival? Here are five reasons why the Trojans are going to run away with the Jeweled Shillelagh at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the home showdown against the Fighting Irish.