This will be the 95th meeting between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-1) and the USC Trojans (6-5). The Fighting Irish come into this one with bragging rights, as they took last year's meeting 48-20.
However, with the series shifting back to LA, oddsmakers have this rendition pegged to be a closer affair. Close contests are something Notre Dame has not been a part of this year, having beat nine teams by multiple scores this season.
The same cannot be said for the Trojans. Eight of their 11 games this season have been decided by one score or less. Their record in those games is 3-5, and early-market support for the Fighting Irish casts doubt on them improving that record.
The Irish are 7.5-point favorites on the spread with a 51.5-point over/under.
Let's look at my Notre Dame vs USC predictions and college football picks for Saturday, November 30.
Notre Dame vs USC Prediction
- Notre Dame vs. USC Pick: Notre Dame -7.5
My Notre Dame vs. USC best bet is on the Fighting Irish against the spread, with the best line currently available at FanDuel, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Notre Dame vs USC Odds
| Notre Dame Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7.5 -108 | 51.5 -110o / -110u | -258 |
| USC Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7.5 -112 | 51.5 -110o / -110u | +210 |
- Notre Dame vs USC Point Spread: Notre Dame -7.5 (-110) · USC +7.5 (-110)
- Notre Dame vs USC Total: Over/Under 51.5
- Notre Dame vs USC Moneyline: Notre Dame -290 · USC +240
Notre Dame vs USC Preview
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Betting Preview: Easy Offense on Saturday
Notre Dame may not get as much attention as the teams in Power Four conferences, but it may be the most well-rounded team in the country. Offensively, it is a juggernaut, ranking fourth in points per game and 11th in yards per play.
The majority of their damage is done on the ground. The Fighting Irish run the ball over 55% of the time and have done so with tremendous success, ranking second in yards per rush.
Their success on the ground stems from stellar offensive line play, and the big boys will have the edge in the trenches against the Trojans. Notre Dame outranks USC 19 to 77 in Line Yards. USC ranks 69th in yards per rush allowed and has not shown signs of improvement, as they allowed UCLA's T.J. Harden to average seven yards per carry last week.
That impending success on the ground plays into the script we've seen from Notre Dame this season. The Irish can open up the passing attack, and Riley Leonard has the opportunity to generate big plays against the Trojans as they rank 128th in opponent completion percentage allowed.
Don't expect any offensive hiccups from the Fighting Irish in this one.
USC Trojans Betting Preview: Tall Order Against the ND Defense
I've covered each of the Trojans' last two games, and if you read my breakdown of their matchup against UCLA, you know that Jayden Maiava has grown on me rather quickly. Maiava has made this USC offense dynamic with his mobility and fearlessness when pushing the ball down the field.
He's also taken some of the offensive burden off running back Woody Marks, who is piecing together a stellar campaign, having already rushed for 1,100 yards. However, the Notre Dame defense will be their tallest task.
We reviewed how great the Fighting Irish have been on the offensive side of the ball; they may be even better on the defensive side. Notre Dame ranks second in points per game allowed and third in yards per game allowed.
They have been particularly stingy against the pass, boasting the lowest opponent completion percentage in the nation and the second-lowest yards per pass allowed. Maiava can't afford to be overly aggressive against this secondary, and that may lead to stalled drives for an offense that has thrown the ball at the sixth-highest rate this year.
Notre Dame vs USC
Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Notre Dame and USC match up statistically:
Notre Dame Offense vs. USC Defense
 | Offense |  Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 35 | 56 | |
| Line Yards | 19 | 77 | |
| Pass Success | 49 | 41 | |
| Havoc | 22 | 83 | |
| Finishing Drives | 10 | 62 | |
| Quality Drives | 16 | 55 | |
USC Offense vs. Notre Dame Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 15 | 69 | |
| Line Yards | 13 | 55 | |
| Pass Success | 20 | 1 | |
| Havoc | 43 | 33 | |
| Finishing Drives | 52 | 6 | |
| Quality Drives | 36 | 3 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 7 | 4 |
| PFF Coverage | 2 | 50 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 99 | 48 |
| Middle 8 | 1 | 51 |
| Seconds per Play | 28.4 (102) | 26.8 (56) |
| Rush Rate | 56% (39) | 41% (123) |
Notre Dame vs USC Pick & Prediction
As I mentioned in the open, the market has come out early in support of the Fighting Irish, and it's easy to see why. Notre Dame has tremendous edges on both sides of the ball in this matchup, and if both come to fruition, we should see them pull away from the Trojans like they have against nearly every other opponent this year.
Back the Fighting Irish to win by two scores here.
Pick: Notre Dame -7.5
Notre Dame vs USC Start Time, Channel, Streaming, How To Watch
| Location: | LA Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA |
| Date: | Saturday, Nov. 30 |
| Kickoff Time: | 3:30 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | CBS |
Notre Dame vs USC will be played at LA Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California, on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 3:30 p.m. ET. You can stream the game live on CBS.
