The No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, boasting a record of 10-1, gear up to strengthen their College Football Playoff hopes as they head to Los Angeles to face the USC Trojans, who have a 6-5 overall record. The game is set for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on CBS and available for streaming on Paramount+. With Notre Dame riding a nine-game winning streak, they aim to maintain their momentum, although they will be challenged by a USC team that has shown signs of improvement recently, particularly with freshman quarterback Jayden Maiava leading the charge.
Ahead of the game, Notre Dame’s head coach Marcus Freeman confirmed that linebackers Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa and Bodie Kahoun will not be participating, and starting defensive tackle Howard Cross III is listed as questionable due to an ankle injury.
The Fighting Irish are favored by seven points in this matchup, with a total score over/under set at 53.5 points according to the SportsLine consensus. Betting enthusiasts are advised to check out the insights and predictions from SportsLine’s Projection Model, which has generated significant returns for bettors over the last few weeks.
USC, despite a rocky start to their Big Ten season, has demonstrated resilience with a strong home record of 4-1 and has covered the spread in three of their last four games. Maiava has been particularly effective in recent outings, highlighting a potential turning point for the Trojans.
On the other hand, Notre Dame boasts an impressive performance thus far, securing victories while averaging a significant margin of victory throughout the season. Quarterback Riley Leonard’s recent efficiency raises hopes for another strong showing against USC’s defense.
As excitement builds for this matchup, the stakes are high for both teams. With Notre Dame aiming for the playoffs and USC looking to finish the season strong, fans can look forward to what promises to be an intense game filled with competitive spirit and thrilling plays.
In a game filled with potential and opportunity, both teams have reasons to strive for victory, making for a compelling college football showdown this Saturday.