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Notre Dame Football: 3 reasons the Irish will beat USC in Week 8

By Dante Pryor

Dec 5, 2020; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly leads his players out of the tunnel before the game against the Syracuse Orange at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2020; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly leads his players out of the tunnel before the game against the Syracuse Orange at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /
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USC and Notre Dame football resume their intersectional rivalry after COVID-19 forced the game last season to be canceled for the first time since World War II. The Irish won 30-27 in 2019 in South Bend when Notre Dame and USC played the game.

The Irish look to win fourth straight against the Trojans. Irish head coach Brian Kelly is 7-3 in this rivalry. USC has not won in South Bend since 2011, Kelly’s second season with the Irish. Notre Dame has the nation’s longest streak against unranked opponents (26 games) after Alabama’s loss to Texas A&M.

This matchup is strength on strength as the Trojans’ Air Raid offense attempts to light up the scoreboard against one of the better secondaries in the country, led by Thorpe Award candidate safety Kyle Hamilton. Though the Notre Dame defense has struggled, they have been solid against the pass.

Offensively, the Irish and their revamped offensive line look to take advantage of a run defense that allows nearly 150 yards rushing per game. The Irish offensive line has been hit with lots of injuries this season, but Notre Dame should run the football.

The Jeweled Shillelagh is on the line once again. Here are three reasons Notre Dame should win.

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