Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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34 OCT. 23, 2021 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED GAME PREVIEW: USC a little bit of a rhythm. He went about getting started on the latter with 276 passing yards and three touchdowns in the 23-point win over Colorado. "I just have to go out and have fun and let loose and let it rip," Slovis said. "To start the year, I think at times I was pressing it a little bit and trying to be perfect. I keep trying to remind myself it's football. Have fun." Football is more fun when quarter- backs have wide receivers like junior wide receiver Drake London to target. London has set a new career high with 670 receiving yards, and he only needed five games to get there. He also scored four touchdowns through the first five contests. At 6-5, 210 pounds, he's going to be a lot for the Notre Dame secondary to handle. Senior running back Keaontay Ingram has played his part in the USC offense as well. The Texas transfer ran 60 times for 349 yards and three touchdowns through five games. Redshirt senior Vavae Malepeai added 216 yards and a score on 52 attempts. The Trojans' of- fense isn't going to lose many games. The other side of the ball, though, lost the team two of its first five. SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS Teams aren't going to win many games in which they give up 40-plus points. USC did it twice in the first five games and lost both times. The key to Stanford and Oregon State's victories was the same for both: running the ball. The Cardinal ran for 141 yards and three touchdowns. The Beavers ran for 322 yards and two touchdowns. In USC's three wins in the first five games of the year, the Trojans only allowed 82.3 rushing yards per game to San Jose State, Washington State and Colorado. 2021 NOTRE DAME SCHEDULE Date Opponent (TV) Result/Time (ET) Sept. 5 at Florida State W, 41-38 (OT) Sept. 11 Toledo W, 32-29 Sept. 18 Purdue W, 27-13 Sept. 25 vs. Wisconsin* W, 41-13 Oct. 2 Cincinnati L, 24-13 Oct. 9 at Virginia Tech W, 32-29 Oct. 23 USC (NBC) 7:30 p.m. Oct. 30 North Carolina (NBC) 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6 Navy (NBC) 3:30 p.m. Nov. 13 at Virginia TBA Nov. 20 Georgia Tech (NBC) 2:30 p.m. Nov. 27 at Stanford TBA * at Soldier Field in Chicago 2021 USC SCHEDULE Date Opponent (TV) Result/Time (ET) Sept. 4 San Jose State W, 30-7 Sept. 11 Stanford L, 42-28 Sept. 18 at Washington State W, 45-14 Sept. 25 Oregon State L, 45-27 Oct. 2 at Colorado W, 37-14 Oct. 9 Utah L, 42-26 Oct. 23 at Notre Dame (NBC) 7:30 p.m. Oct. 30 Arizona TBA Nov. 6 at Arizona State TBA Nov. 13 at California TBA Nov. 20 UCLA TBA Nov. 27 BYU TBA Sophomore defensive lineman Tuli Tuipulotu recovered a fumble for a touchdown in the Trojans' 45-14 victory over Washington State. PHOTO COURTESY USC ATHLETICS