(Photo: Chad Ryan)
It’s now game seven, and the Irish have been steadily gaining momentum each week. This Saturday, the Irish host a 5-1, No. 20 USC team in South Bend in a matchup that plays a pivotal role in Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff hopes. As always, the Fighting Irish Preview staff weighs in —Chad Ryan is risking another Guinness ban and this week, we’re excited to introduce a new contributor: The Final Byte, our data-driven, AI-informed projection that combines staff insights with matchup trends, historical data, and situational factors. Here’s how everyone sees it playing out.
Phillip Houk – Senior Editor
It is a CFP elimination game this week, and USC is good — really good. But Notre Dame is better: more balanced offensively, better in all phases on defense, and at home. The key will be keeping a lid on USC’s explosive plays. They’re going to get them — just make sure you tackle them (I’m looking at you Makai Lemon) before they reach the end zone. Do that, and win a close one, win the turnover battle, and Notre Dame can win by double digits.
Prediction: Notre Dame 35, USC 31
Caleb Conrad – Staff Intern
The Irish have now won four straight. Notre Dame’s defense has allowed just 27 points combined over its past three games. USC beat a ranked Michigan team last week and looks solid, but the Irish must keep up the defensive pressure and stay hot on offense. With rain in the forecast, look for both Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price to have big days on the ground. The USC offense will be tough to stop, but Notre Dame will make big plays when it matters most. Expect an instant classic that comes down to the wire.
Prediction: Notre Dame 38, USC 35
Jesse Craig – Webmaster
If this is the end of an era for one of college football’s greatest rivalries, it’s fitting that it doubles as a playoff elimination game. Two elite offenses face off against steadily improving but vulnerable defenses. Trenches and turnovers will decide this one, and I expect fireworks. One more note: USC is 1-11 in its last 12 trips to Central/Eastern time zones.
Prediction: Notre Dame 38, USC 28
Chad Ryan – Photo Journalist / Multimedia Editor
The last time these two tangled in The Bend, it was chaos. To repeat that scene won’t be easy. USC enters at 5-1, fresh off a big win over Michigan. The Trojans’ offense is explosive, averaging 552 yards and 47.5 points per game. Defensively, their ends Braylan Shelby (3.5 sacks) and Kameryn Crawford (2.5 sacks) could challenge Notre Dame’s offensive line.
USC’s line has allowed just three sacks of QB Jayden Maiava, while Boubacar Traore has 5.5 of Notre Dame’s 15 sacks. If USC contains him, the Irish defense will need to get creative. Freeman’s group has proven capable, but the emotions of a rivalry game can test discipline.
Big rivalry game, even bigger stakes. I think a field goal as time expires makes this one an instant classic — but I’m going against the grain … and Vegas.
Prediction: USC 27, Notre Dame 24
Connor Fitzharris – Staff Writer
Both the Irish and the Trojans’ seasons are on the line Saturday night under the lights in South Bend. The weather is expected to be cold, wet, and rainy — ideal for a physical team like Notre Dame. Despite USC’s offensive talent led by Maiava and Lemon, the Trojans aren’t as physical as Freeman’s Irish. Notre Dame will control the trenches and win the battle up front to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Prediction: Notre Dame 34, USC 20
Adam Schenkel – Producer / Audio Editor
This is a huge statement game for Notre Dame — their final chance to make a real playoff push. USC will test them with a high-powered offense, but Notre Dame’s resurgent defense and control of the line of scrimmage on offense should make the difference. Expect the Irish to pull away in the second half and make a statement to the playoff committee.
Prediction: Notre Dame 38, USC 21
AJ Houk – Photo Journalist / Director of Brand Strategy
The line for this game has been all over the place — even touching 10 at some books. Vegas is begging the public to load up on USC, and that’s usually a trap.
At first glance, 10 feels like too much for two evenly matched teams, but look deeper:
- Cross-country road trip — multiple time zones, hostile environment, night game energy.
- Running back room depth concerns.
- Who has USC really beaten? That wasn’t Harbaugh’s Michigan.
- The South Bend curse — USC hasn’t won here since 2011, when Marcus Freeman was coaching linebackers at Kent State and CJ Carr was six years old.
Notre Dame looks like a team finding its rhythm. The defense has tightened up, the offense keeps scoring, and they are under the lights at home — it’s hard not to like the Irish.
Prediction: Notre Dame 34, USC 23
🧠 The Final Byte
Notre Dame’s defense has come alive at just the right time, and the weather will play directly into their strengths — power running, physical defense, and ball control. USC’s offense can score in bunches, but its rhythm tends to falter on the road against disciplined defenses. Expect a fast start for the Trojans before the Irish take control with long drives and timely takeaways.
Key factors will include Notre Dame’s ability to win the trenches and force turnovers, as well as limiting USC’s big-play potential. If the Irish can sustain drives and control the clock, they should be able to keep USC’s high-powered offense off the field and dictate the pace of the game. Momentum will swing quickly in a matchup like this, but Notre Dame’s balance and home-field advantage give them the edge in what could be a close, hard-fought contest.
Algorithm’s Take: Notre Dame 35, USC 27
The Final Byte combines staff insights with matchup trends, historical data, and situational factors to produce a data-informed projection — not just a simple average of the staff predictions.