Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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UNDER THE DOME USC By Andrew Owens Once Notre Dame came painfully close to winning at Florida State Oct. 18, proving its worthiness among college football's elite, fans' attention immediately shifted to the five-game November schedule. Each week, the Irish will be judged and com- pared to the rest of the college football world with the 13-person selection committee — which is actually 12 this year with Archie Man- ning out due to health issues — releasing a weekly poll. While November represents plenty of chal- lenges for a Notre Dame squad seeking an invite to the four-team playoff, none will be more try- ing than the season finale at USC Nov. 29. Don't be fooled by a Trojans squad that suf- fered three defeats before October even ended. Two of those losses came in heartbreaking fash- ion against quality Pac-12 opponents (38-34 to Arizona State on a 46-yard Hail Mary as time expired and 24-21 to Utah on a touchdown with eight seconds left), and USC boasts quality wins on the road against Arizona and Stanford. Perhaps the top reason for Irish fans to worry most is recent history. Notre Dame has won back-to-back games at the Los Angeles Coli- seum. Winning three straight at USC will be extremely difficult, especially if the Trojans can play spoiler to a Notre Dame squad eyeing the playoff. After losing to the Trojans eight straight sea- sons (2002-09), the series has shifted in Notre Dame's favor with three Irish wins in the past four meetings. Making it four of five will be no simple task. Arizona State By Douglas Farmer Florida State junior quarterback Jameis Win- ston demonstrated a succinct, well-tuned pass- ing attack can expose Irish defensive coordi- nator Brian VanGorder's aggressive schemes. VanGorder's blitzes often leave Notre Dame's secondary in man coverage, and Winston took advantage of those coverages to the tune of 15- of-16 passing for 181 yards in the second half. Sun Devils fifth-year senior quarterback Taylor Kelly is a more-polished thrower than Winston, though mobile as well. Fifth-year senior cor- nerback Cody Riggs has been irreplaceable and sophomore cornerback Cole Luke has exceeded expectations all season for Notre Dame, but it is not beyond fathoming that Kelly could uncover gaps in their coverage — and uncover them fre- quently. On the sidelines, Arizona State head coach Todd Graham has competed well against Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly the last few years, even if boasting only a 1-2 record. Winning at Notre Dame Stadium with Tulsa is a feat unto itself, and a year later Graham nearly led Pitts- burgh to an upset of the Irish. No other November opponent presents an attack as finely tuned as what Graham has cook- ing in Phoenix, though USC's is certainly not one to be scoffed at. Northwestern has been up-and-down this season, with more of the lat- ter than the former, and Louisville has not yet found its footing in head coach Bobby Petrino's complex system. None of those three should be overlooked — least of all the Trojans to close the season — but none will create as much nervous energy in VanGorder's meetings. Point ✦ Counterpoint: WHICH NOVEMBER OPPONENT IS MOST LIKELY TO TRIP UP NOTRE DAME? Listen to the discussion in this digital exclusive