Notre Dame Football: 3 bold predictions vs. USC in Week 7
By Jacob Wilson
3. The Irish defense forces five turnovers
Perhaps the greatest advantage the Irish hold over the Trojans heading into this week lies in the turnover battle. The Irish are currently second in the nation in both turnovers forced and overall turnover differential, a real testament to what defensive coordinator Clark Lea has been able to do with this unit despite numerous offseason departures.
The more we’ve seen USC play, the more it looks as if the Irish defense will have a field day against freshman quarterback Kedon Slovis. Slovis, who missed action after suffering a concussion against Utah, has thrown five touchdowns to four interceptions this far into the season. Backup Matt Fink has performed similarly in relief, putting forth a 1:1 touchdown to interception ratio so far.
The Irish have playmakers all over the field, from the defensive line to the secondary. The safety unit has been busy for the Irish so far as both Jalen Elliott and Kyle Hamilton have logged two interceptions while Alohi Gilman has nabbed one for himself. The Irish have also had seven different players force a fumble this season.
Needless to say, the Irish are sure to be busy in the turnover department this weekend. The Trojans offense hasn’t proven themselves able to keep the ball out of their opponents hands yet this season, and there’s no reason to expect that to stop this week. Look for the Irish to keep trending in the right direction against this turnover-prone USC offense.