Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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GAME PREVIEW: USC Clausen threw 28 touchdown passes compared to only four interceptions. During USC's 7-3 start, Kessler tossed 29 touchdowns and merely three interceptions, completed 70.2 percent of his throws and averaged a robust 8.6 yards per attempt. The deep receiving corps features two names familiar to Irish faithful: junior Nelson Agholor and freshman JuJu Smith. Ranked 10th nationally in both yards receiving per game (107.9) and yards per punt return (13.1), Agholor caught six passes for 89 yards at Notre Dame last year, and also had punt re- turns of 48, 34 and 16 yards. Five-star recruit and California na- tive Smith had it down to the Irish and USC last February before opting for the Trojans on National Signing Day. His 42 catches (for 531 yards) through the first 10 games have included five touchdowns. In last year 's 14-10 Irish victory over USC, the Irish defense was able to dominate because of the presence of lineman Stephon Tuitt taking over the game in the second half, and a patient bend-but-don't break principle that centered on keeping the football in front of them. "We started trying to make stuff happen and it seemed like they always had a guy there," a frustrated Kessler said after completing 20 of 34 passes for only 201 yards with no scores and an interception (by then-freshman linebacker Jaylon Smith). The Irish no longer have Tuitt, who turned pro after his junior season, and the scheme is much more aggressive under first-year defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder, which might play into USC's hands. Going into the Louisville game Nov. 22, one positive for the Irish pass defense was it had intercepted at least one throw in 13 straight games, the second-longest streak in the nation (behind Ole Miss' 15). Per usual, turnovers will have a ma- jor factor in the outcome. Through 10 games, USC was tied for seventh na- tionally in fewest turnovers lost (nine), while Notre Dame was 113th among 125 teams with 23. In turnover margin per game, USC was 12th with a plus-0.90, while Notre Dame was 75th at minus-0.20. TRIPLE PLAY? Of the seven Notre Dame head coaches from Knute Rockne to Lou Holtz who have had an opportunity to lead a team into the Los Angeles Coliseum at least three times, Holtz is the only one who managed to win three games in a row there. Holtz won four times (1986, 1988, 1990 and 1992) before a 17-17 tie in 1994 and a 27-20 overtime defeat in his final game as the coach in 1996. Brian Kelly will attempt to become the second Irish coach to win three games in a row at the Los Angeles Coliseum, with his first two victories serving as wonderful memories. In 2010, the Irish bounced back from a 4-5 start to the season with a late drive for a touchdown in the rain ver- sus the Trojans in a 20-16 victory to