After Chip Kelly finally built the Bruins into something worth watching, he’ll seek to maintain that success in 2022. They’ve got Dorian Thompson-Robinson at quarterback, and the wonderous Zach Charbonnet at tailback; those two alone would provide reason for optimism.
Yet, with their big-time receiving targets gone to the NFL, they’ll need new targets to step up.
On defense, the team needs a lot of work, and it’s this defense that USC will exploit, and the Trojans write another chapter in this rivalry.
Record: 10-1, 8-1
Marcus Freeman took over a program that already was super successful under Brian Kelly. The former defensive coordinator has injected a spark that the program was starting to need, and he’s kept everything in place to boot.
Offensively, they’ve got four linemen back, one of the best tight ends in college football, and Tommy Rees to keep continuity there.
On defense, they’ve added Brandon Joseph from Northwestern, who was once college football interception king.
Only raw talent points to a USC win. Otherwise, it’s Notre Dame’s combination of good talent and continuity that should pave the way for an Irish win.
Record: USC finishes 10-2, and 8-1 in conference play