[3:36 PM] Notre Dame @ #12 USC

What will be the GAME RESULT?

#12 USC: Wins By 15+ Points

Any Other Result

 

• The difference with the Trojans is they fell out of the rankings after starting 1-3, switched starting quarterbacks after the third game and Sam Darnold has led the Trojans to seven straight wins. USC still has its top two rushers from last season, Ronald Jones II and Justin Davis, as well as its top five receivers from last season.

• The Trojans are the team that’s full of momentum behind first-year starter at quarterback, while the Fighting Irish haven’t been able to win two games in a row after coming into the season ranked No. 9.

• Kizer has been depending on sophomore Equanimeous St. Brown to make the big catches and he’s handled that role well, especially considering he caught one pass all of last season. St. Brown, a Southern California native, has caught 51 passes for 867 yards and eight touchdowns, and his role has expanded even more recently as second-leading receiver Torii Hunter Jr has missed the last two games with a knee injury.

• Davis missed three games with an ankle injury and wasn’t much of a factor in the first game back, but against UCLA last weekend he looked more like the runner who produced back-to-back 100-yard efforts midway through the season against Utah and Arizona State. Having a healthy Davis to compliment Jones only forces defense to gamble more, opening up lanes and creases on play-action and limiting pressure when Darnold does drop straight back in the pocket. Davis suffered a season-ending ankle injury against the Fighting Irish as a freshman in 2013, came back with 81 rushing yards and a touchdown as a sophomore and another 52 last season on seven carries.

• Darnold is the only quarterback in USC history to throw at least five touchdown passes in back-to-back games (Arizona, California).

 

StreakSmarts Pick: #12 USC: Wins By 15+ Points

Confidence: 5/10

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