Football | November 25, 2022

Game Details:

Who: USC vs Notre Dame

Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

When: Saturday, Nov. 26 at 4:30 PT on FOX

All-time series: Notre Dame leads, 50-37-5

Last meeting: The Irish won 31-16 in South Bend, Indiana

Notre Dame Player Spotlight:
 

Tight end Michael Mayer:

• Described by USC defensive coordinator Alex Grinch as the "best tight end in the country"

• Leads the Irish in:

  • Receptions - 59

  • Receiving yards - 711

  • Receiving touchdowns - 7

• Ranks second in FBS among tight ends in receptions and receiving yards

  • Trails behind Utah's Dalton Kincaid, who the Trojans faced earlier this season

• Surpassed 2,000 career receiving yards last Saturday

  • Only active TE in FBS with 2,000+ career receiving yards

Quarterback Drew Pyne:

• Took over Notre Dame's starting QB role when Tyler Buchner suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2

• So far in 2022:

  • 141 of 228 for 1,703 yards with 19 touchdowns and 5 interceptions

  • 119 yards on 42 carries with 2 rushing touchdowns

• Has thrown at least 1 touchdown in every game he's played this season

• Recorded 5 games with at least 2 touchdowns 

  • Irish are 5-0 when that has occurred

Keys to the Game:

1. Limit Michael Mayer's game-changing ability

   • The Trojans will have their hands full Saturday as they will be tasked with defending Irish tight end Michael Mayer. USC defensive coordinator Alex Grinch described Mayer as the best tight end in the country - and the junior has the statistics this season to live up to the billing. The tight end is Notre Dame's No. 1 threat on offense, as he leads the team in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

   • USC has struggled this season when it's had to defend a powerful tight end. Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid was the deciding factor in the Trojans' sole loss of the season. It will be critical for USC's defense to show growth and limit Mayer's impact on Saturday.

   • "You can come up with a lot of ingredients. You can put two guys on him and one of the two, if not both of them, are going to have to get him on the ground," Grinch said of Mayer. "Now, he obviously gets a vote and he's elite at finding ways to, similar to issues we've had in the past, is [tight ends] have a tendency not to just fall on first contact. We try to convince the guys it's not open to the tackles, you're not by yourself."

2. Shut down the Irish's run game

   • USC must stay assignment sound Saturday and play disciplined football against Notre Dame, but especially when defending the run. It will be critical for the Trojans to make the Irish non-effective on the ground and force their opponent to change their game plan. Notre Dame is averaging 118.7 rush yards per game in its three losses this season, yet averaging 218.7 rush yards per game in its eight wins. The Trojans held dynamic UCLA running back Zach Charbonnet to less than 100 yards last Saturday, so the team should look to continue its momentum in stopping the run. It will be key for USC to force the Irish to rely on their passing game and the arm of backup quarterback Drew Pyne.

   • "They make it very challenging defensively, whether it's the way the ball is being directed in the run game, the gap responsibility; they change with shifts and motions and a lot of surfaces," Grinch explained of Notre Dame. "Then you obviously got the best tight end in the country to direct the ball to, as well, and some good skill around them. [It's] a major challenge, and they've found a rhythm in the last few weeks."

3. Continue to be dominant upfront against Notre Dame's defense

   • It will be a clash of strengths on Saturday when USC's offense takes the field against Notre Dame's defense. Irish defenders have not allowed a team to accrue more than 400 yards of total offense in a single game this season. Meanwhile, the Trojans have only had two games in 2022 below 400 yards of total offense. Quarterback Caleb Williams has USC's offense firing on all cylinders, but it's the team's stout offensive line that has been the difference maker as of late. If the Trojans' big men upfront can continue to open lanes for their running backs, then their offense will continue to roll like it has as of late. 

   • "I don't see just a ton of weaknesses with the group," head coach Lincoln Riley said of Notre Dame's defense. "They've got guys that can rush the passer, they've played well in the secondary, they've intercepted balls, and have been good on third down. They're a good defense, they're a challenging defense. The margins are thin with a group like that. You've got to execute at a high level and I've said that before when we've played a good group, but that's what shows up."