Bonagura says USC: For most teams, a freakish mid-season ouster of a head coach would be tough to bounce back from.
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I am actually surprising myself by taking the ND defense, but I have a feeling the Irish will rise to the occasion in this rivalry game. In the end, the Irish squeak one out 34-27 as C.J. Prosise has a fantastic day.
Last meeting: USC won 49-14 on November 29, 2014, in Los Angeles. “We’re doing the same breakdown drills when we were really poor a year ago coming off a 15-17 season”.
So, who is the more unsafe team – the Trojans rallying amid a wild week, or the Irish looking for revenge from last year’s embarrassment?
ROOKIE MISTAKES: USC head coaches are 0-6 in their first games against Notre Dame when played in South Bend.
In 2011, Notre Dame hosted Californians Jordan Payton, Bryce Treggs, Deontay Greenberry, Tee Shepard, Byron Marshall, Arik Armstead, Shaq Thompson and Ishmael Adams, as well as national prospects Zach Banner, KeiVarae Russell and John Theus. “So you’re going against conventional people for 11 weeks and then you play us”, he said. “It would have been the most dramatic season comeback in the history of college football”. To top it off, Irish coach Brian Kelly essentially thanked then-USC coach Steve Sarkisian for showing the Irish mercy.
Instead, a referee from a across the field threw a late flag for holding on Irish left tackle Bob Meeker.
Assuming he signs with the Irish in February, Vaughn would be the first player from Memphis to go to Notre Dame in the Rivals.com era. “I think also he’s just been playing really well, so that gives him more confidence”. I would think both coaches and players knew that in those conditions turnovers are more likely to occur and could help determine the outcome.
“Meeker didn’t hold”, Huarte adds.
Conspiracy or not, this single game, the final outcome and one penalty helped to raise the heat and steer the course of a rivalry that dates back to 1926 and has run uninterrupted every season since 1946.
Notre Dame coach Mike Brey wants the Fighting Irish approaching the season as though they are coming off a losing season, not that they’re the defending Atlantic Coast Conference tournament champions.
As the 2015 regular season falls apart for the Trojans, we look forward to USC vs Notre Dame this Saturday in a battle of programs fighting for their namesake. Brey said he believes Notre Dame gained respect in the ACC last season after finishing 6-12 in its first year in the league.
But this 1964 matchup changed everything, infusing intensity into this series as these proud programs were becoming two of the best in nation.
Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) High three-star safety Devin Studstill returns after visiting for the Irish Invasion.
In the meantime, 14th-ranked Notre Dame awaits this Saturday in South Bend, and it’s anyone’s guess as to the mindset of the Trojans.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish got back on track last weekend with a 41-24 win over Navy. “There was always so much on the line”.
“They pushed us around a lot past year”, receiver Will Fuller said.
As we dig into the keys of Saturday evening, Notre Dame’s running game dictating terms is a key piece of the puzzle. After a very strong performance against Navy (one bone-rattling TFL and a game-clinching interception), Kelly talked about the emergence of the New Jersey native. We have an opportunity to do something great this weekend. If we lost, we’d hardly get any presents.
Notre Dame is now one of the most aggressive defensive teams in college football.
“My dad had a favorite saying”. It’s South Carolina versus Notre Dame.
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“Teams come together under those circumstances and they’re going to play their very best”, Kelly said Tuesday.
