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USC fans can prepare for Midwest road trips on 2023 Notre Dame-NFL weekend

matt zemek
·4 min read
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USC football fans with some disposable income will want to travel to the Midwest to support their Trojans in the Big Ten. Going to Midwestern football stadiums will become a more regular thing for the fans who can afford to make one road trip per year and save up for the occasion. In order to get into the Big Ten mood, though, the road trip to South Bend, Indiana, to play the Notre Dame Fighting Irish has been a special pilgrimage for USC fans every other year.

This year, however, it will be extra special — and not just because this will be Lincoln Riley’s first visit to South Bend as USC head coach.

There’s another reason this year’s USC-Notre Dame game could be worth attending for Trojan fans who want to enjoy a football weekend on the road: They could turn this Trojan-Irish game into a weekend doubleheader in the Midwest. We’ll explain below:

USC-NOTRE DAME: OCTOBER 14, 2023

Oct 23, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; A general view of Notre Dame Stadium just before the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the USC Trojans. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

USC-Notre Dame will be on Saturday, Oct. 14, probably a prime-time game. This is the first really big game of USC’s season. It is must-see TV for most of us, but fans with a chance to go would love to be able to make the trek to South Bend.

VIKINGS AT BEARS, OCTOBER 15

CHICAGO, IL – SEPTEMBER 11: Julius Peppers #90 of the Chicago Bears rushes against Sam Baker #72 of the Atlanta Falcons at Soldier Field on September 11, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Falcons 30-12. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The day after USC-Notre Dame, the Minnesota Vikings face the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, which is not that far from South Bend. The drive is 95 miles, so under two hours. You can spend the night in South Bend, wake up at a reasonable hour (say, 8 a.m.), and drive to Chicago (or take a bus) and get to the stadium in plenty of time for the noon local time kickoff in the Windy City.

WHY SEE VIKINGS-BEARS? THE MINNESOTA TROJANS!

You can see Jordan Addison and Mekhi Blackmon, the two newest “Minnesota Trojans,” in the Vikings-Bears game. What an easy way for USC football fans to see their Trojans and then a couple of new NFL Men of Troy in an 18-hour span!

USC BEARS

Jan 3, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback C.J. Beathard (3) is hit by Seattle Seahawks defensive end Rasheem Green (94) during the first half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Rasheem Green is now on the Chicago Bears. Bobby Haskins is a UDFA who will try to make the Chicago roster or practice squad. You should certainly see Green in this game.

NOTRE DAME VIKINGS: HARRISON SMITH

NOTRE DAME BEARS: COLE KMET

NOTRE DAME BEARS: CHASE CLAYPOOL

PITTSBURGH, PA – SEPTEMBER 27: JuJu Smith-Schuster #19 celebrates his touchdown with Chase Claypool #11 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter against the Houston Texans at Heinz Field on September 27, 2020 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

Notre Dame will compete against USC in Bears-Vikings, so you’ll get to see even more Irish-Trojan tussles on Sunday in Chicago after seeing the main event on Saturday in South Bend.

THE BIG USC-NOTRE DAME BATTLE IN CHICAGO

Mekhi Blackmon, a Trojan, will go up against Claypool and Kmet of Notre Dame, getting help from Harrison Smith, a Notre Damer. When the Bears have the ball, their Notre Dame pass catchers will go up against a Viking secondary with USC and ND representation. That will be fun for us and for our friends at Fighting Irish Wire.

Story originally appeared on Trojans Wire