When the USC Trojans and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish play at night, they usually do so at the end of the season in Los Angeles. This time, they’ll do so in South Bend, Indiana.
USC Trojans @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish – Saturday, October 22
Sports betting line: Notre Dame -9
Why USC Will Win
The community of college football betting experts is not going to have an easy time getting a handle on this particular contest. USC and Notre Dame are both mistake-prone teams with erratic, unproven quarterbacks and lots of questions throughout each roster. Neither team has proven that it can protect the football on a sustained basis. Both teams have lost multiple times despite playing opponents who are not part of college football’s elite. Arizona State, a conqueror of USC, is a decent team, but not a special one. The same holds true for Michigan, which beat Notre Dame earlier in the season. Both squads remain mysteries at the midway point of the season, and that favors USC. If the Trojans can get off to a good start, they can make Notre Dame doubt itself. Fighting Irish quarterback Tommy Rees played particularly well in a recent clash against Air Force, but for most of the season, he’s struggled miserably in the red zone. Should USC gain an early lead, Rees might force the issue whenever he leads the Irish deep into Trojan territory. As long as the visitors from Southern California can force a stack of Notre Dame field goals, they do have the ability to light up the scoreboard with quarterback Matt Barkley throwing to his premier receiver, Robert Woods. Notre Dame would probably win a best-of-seven-game series between these two teams, but USC can very legitimately win one game on one night.
Why Notre Dame Will Win
When you prepare to put down a best sportsbook on this game, simply realize that USC is coming into this game with several bumps and bruises… and absences. Trojan running back Marc Tyler dislocated his left shoulder in his team’s most recent game, an Oct. 13 win at California. Tyler might play, but it’s doubtful that he’ll be of any use this weekend at Notre Dame Stadium. Moreover, USC has lost starting cornerback Anthony Brown for this game; a broken ankle is sure to keep Brown on the sidelines and out of action. Other USC players, particularly receiver Marqise Lee and backup safety Demetrius Wright, will be playing well below 100 percent of physical health in this contest. Notre Dame is fitter and fresher, and that stuff matters before a midseason game, when the grind of the full-length football season has set in. Notre Dame has more and better depth than USC. That should win out in the end.
Who Will Win
USC had a better team last year, yet still found a way to lose to Notre Dame at home. Now, Notre Dame has the better team, and while this game – when staged in Indiana – is usually played in the afternoon, the Fighting Irish have worked with NBC television to make this year’s clash a night game. USC will be stepping into an intimidating environment, and the bet here is that the Trojans won’t be able to handle the heat.
strong>College Football Betting Pick: Notre Dame