USC Football 2018: 5 reasons Trojans will upset Notre Dame
By Zach Bigalke
5. JT Daniels will have a breakout game for USC against Notre Dame
When Clay Helton opted to turn to true freshman JT Daniels to replace outgoing starter Sam Darnold at quarterback, it was a high-risk/high-reward plot on the coach’s part. The season has been a roller coaster as a result of the decision, with USC hanging on to hopes of bowl eligibility by a single frayed thread.
Daniels has battled through turnover issues, as he averages an interception per game. He has also had to deal with injury issues this year, as he sat out the Arizona State game on concussion protocol. And Daniels has been nowhere near as dynamic as his predecessor, with only 13 passing touchdowns through his first 10 games.
On Saturday, though, Daniels is going to have the breakout performance that he’s come close to putting together in 2018. Against a Notre Dame secondary that ranks second nationally in hamstringing opponent passing efficiency, Daniels is going to put it all together finally. Look for the youngster to have a three-touchdown performance, as he throws for more than 300 yards, completes at least 60 percent of his passes, and turns over the ball no more than once.
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A lot has to go right for USC to take down one of the nation’s top teams. But they have all the talent to render a major upset of one of the four remaining undefeated teams in the country, and the Trojans will do so in prime time on their home turf.