National Media Overwhelmingly Picks Notre Dame Over USC in Critical Showdown

The USC Trojans face a major test this Saturday. They travel to South Bend to play the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The national college football media has made its prediction. The consensus is clear and nearly unanimous.

This high-stakes matchup is critical for both programs. A win for Notre Dame keeps their playoff hopes alive. A loss for USC would be a devastating blow in their first Big Ten season.

Expert Analysts Favor the Fighting Irish at Home

Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt predicts a Notre Dame victory. He sees a high-scoring, close game. Klatt’s final score prediction is 37-30 for the Irish.

Josh Pate of CBS Sports also picks Notre Dame to win. He believes USC might cover the point spread. Pate suggests it could be another frustrating one-possession loss for the Trojans.

Media Outlets and Prediction Models Align with Irish

The ESPN Matchup Predictor gives Notre Dame a 68.9% chance to win. Their Football Power Index projects the Irish to win by 5.1 points. The SP+ analytics model has Notre Dame favored by 3.1 points.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel praised USC’s recent win over Michigan. However, he questions if USC’s “DNA of toughness” is ready for Notre Dame in South Bend. He cites past road struggles against physical Big Ten teams.

Rece Davis of ESPN also picked the Irish. He highlighted turnovers as a decisive factor. According to Davis, Notre Dame has dominated the turnover margin in recent meetings.

The collective voice of the national media points to a Notre Dame victory. This creates a significant underdog narrative for the USC Trojans. Overcoming this consensus prediction would be a massive statement for Lincoln Riley’s team.

Info at your fingertips

What is the point spread for the USC vs. Notre Dame game?

Notre Dame is currently favored by approximately 9.5 points. Several analysts, including Josh Pate, believe USC can keep the game within that margin despite predicting a Notre Dame win.

Why are most experts picking Notre Dame?

Analysts point to Notre Dame’s home-field advantage and a perceived physicality edge. Concerns about USC’s defense and past performances in tough road environments are key factors.

What did the ESPN FPI project for the game?

The ESPN Football Power Index projected Notre Dame to win by 5.1 points. This analytical model is more conservative than the point spread but still favors the Irish.

How important are turnovers in this rivalry?

ESPN’s Rece Davis emphasized that turnovers have been decisive. In the last two meetings, Notre Dame held a significant seven-to-two advantage in turnover margin.

Did any major outlet pick USC to win outright?

Yes, one CBS Sports analyst, Shehan Jeyarajah, picked USC to win outright. The vast majority of other experts across multiple networks selected Notre Dame.

Trusted Sources

Fox Sports, CBS Sports, ESPN, The Athletic