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Notre Dame football battles rival USC for Jeweled Shillelagh: Everything you need to know

michael wanbaugh, south bend tribune
·4 min read

SOUTH BEND — Setting the table for No. 21 Notre Dame football's Top 25 battle with No. 10 USC Saturday. Kickoff at Notre Dame Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m. on NBC/Peacock.

☘ Notre Dame Football Schedule | ☘ 2023 full roster | ☘ Depth chart vs. USC | ☘ Season predictions

What is the Jeweled Shillelagh? History of Notre Dame football, USC's war club trophy

No. 21 Notre Dame (5-2) vs. No. 10 USC (6-0)

  • When: Saturday, Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m. EDT

  • Where: Notre Dame Stadium (77,622), South Bend, Ind.

  • Rankings: Notre Dame is ranked No. 21 in both the AP and US LBM Coaches Polls. USC is ranked No. 10/9.

  • TV: NBC/Peacock

  • Radio: WSBT (960 AM), WNSN (101.5 FM)

  • Line: Notre Dame opens as a 2.5-point favorite

  • Series: Notre Dame leads all-time series 50-38-5

  • Last meeting: No. 5 USC defeated No. 13 Notre Dame, 38-27, on Nov. 26, 2022 at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles.

WNDU Gameday weather forecast

Windy. Cloudy with morning and afternoon showers. Rain percentages will decrease throughout the evening hours. Small hail and Graupel are possible with any shower. Kickoff temperature 51 dropping to 48. Read more about WNDU's forecast here.

Pregaming

▶ NOIE: Notre Dame football should have no trouble mustering motivation against rival USC

The Notre Dame Leprechaun mascot leads the cheerleaders and team on the field before the Notre Dame-USC NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend.
The Notre Dame Leprechaun mascot leads the cheerleaders and team on the field before the Notre Dame-USC NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend.

▶ Four players to watch when USC and Notre Dame football collide

Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams, left, escapes a tackle by Notre Dame defensive lineman Justin Ademilola as a flag is thrown on the play during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022, in Los Angeles
Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams, left, escapes a tackle by Notre Dame defensive lineman Justin Ademilola as a flag is thrown on the play during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022, in Los Angeles

▶ Tale of the tape, predictions: Who has the edge when Notre Dame football hosts USC?

Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman (10) hands off the ball to running back Gi'Bran Payne (3) during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Louisville in Louisville, Ky., Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman (10) hands off the ball to running back Gi'Bran Payne (3) during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Louisville in Louisville, Ky., Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)

▶ 'Tackling is difficult,' safety Xavier Watts says, as Notre Dame football prepares for USC

2023 NOTRE DAME (5-2) SCHEDULE

All Times Eastern; Home games in CAPS

Aug. 26 | vs. Navy @ Dublin, Ireland | W, 42-3

Sept. 2 | TENNEESEE STATE | W, 56-3

Sept. 9 | @ North Carolina State | W, 45-24

Sept. 16 | CENTRAL MICHIGAN | W, 41-17

Sept. 23 | No. 6 OHIO STATE | L, 17-14

Sept. 30 | @ Duke | 7:30 p.m. | W, 21-14

Oct. 7 | @ Louisville | 7:30 | L, 33-20

Oct. 14 | USC | 7:30 | NBC, Peacock | Notre Dame Stadium

Oct. 21 | BYE

Oct. 28 | PITTSBURGH | 3:30 | NBC, Peacock | Notre Dame Stadium

Nov. 4 | @ Clemson |TBA |Memorial Stadium

Nov. 11 | BYE

Nov. 18 | WAKE FOREST | 3:30 | NBC, Peacock | Notre Dame Stadium

Nov. 25 | @ Stanford | TBA | Stanford Stadium

More: Can Notre Dame football get Audric Estime rolling against this week against USC?

2023 USC (6-0) SCHEDULE

All Times Eastern; Home games in CAPS

Aug. 26 | vs. SAN JOSE STATE | W, 56-28

Sept. 2 | vs. NEVADA | W, 66-14

Sept. 9 | vs. STANFORD | W, 56-10

Sept. 23 | @ Arizona State | W, 42-28

Sept. 30 | @ Colorado | W, 48-41

Oct. 7 | vs. ARIZONA | W, 43-41

Oct. 14 | @ Notre Dame | 2:30 p.m. | NBC | Notre Dame Stadium

Oct. 21 | vs. UTAH | 8 p.m.

Oct. 28 | @ California | TBA

Nov. 4 | vs. WASHINGTON | TBA

Nov. 11 | @ Oregon | TBA

Nov. 18 | vs. UCLA | TBA

☘ Notre Dame Football Schedule | ☘ 2023 full roster | ☘ Depth chart vs. USC | ☘ Season predictions

Last time Notre Dame and USC met in South Bend

Irish Items

☘ This is the 94th meeting between Navy and USC dating back to 1926, a 13-12 Irish victory in California

☘ Notre Dame leads the overall series 50-38-5 having won four of the last five meetings

☘ The most consecutive wins in the series for Notre Dame was 11 games, part of a 12-0-1 streak from 1983-95

☘ USC’s longest win streak in the series was eight from 2002-09

☘ Saturday will be the 35th time since 1938 that the both the Irish and Trojans will battle A Top 25 teams.

☘ The Trojans boast defending Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Caleb Williams who was 18-of-22 passing for 232 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions last season against Notre Dame. He also rushed nine times for 35 yards and three TDs.

☘ Notre Dame and USC have combined to produce 14 Heisman winners, seven from each program, with the Trojans having the three most recent – Williams, Reggie Bush and Matt Lienart. Tim Brown (1987) was the most recent Irish winner

☘ Defensive lineman Howard Cross III of Notre Dame leads all linemen in the nation with 42 tackles while the Irish defense ranks 3rd in pass efficiency defense (96.98), 12th in total defense (279.4) and 15th in scoring defense (15.9)

☘ USC ranks No. 1 in the nation in scoring offense (59.8) and third in passing efficiency offense (196.97)

☘ Irish kicker Spencer Shrader is the only kicker in the nation with four field goals of 50 yards or beyond. He is tied with Kyle Brindza (2011-14) and Jonathan Doerer (2017-21) with most 50-yarders in a career. Shrader holds the program distrance record of 54 yards twice.

☘ Notre Dame Football Schedule | ☘ 2023 full roster | ☘ Depth chart vs. USC | ☘ Season predictions

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame football preview vs USC how to watch weather kickoff time TV