The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have been craving respect for years and years. This could be a difficult season, but it could just as easily be one in which a BCS bowl game might be on the line. If Notre Dame has eight wins coming into this contest with the USC Trojans, it could be well on its way to the Orange Bowl or the Sugar Bowl. For the Trojans though, this could be the second to last step between them and a perfect season and a bid in the BCS National Championship Game. If nothing else, there is a ton of history and tradition here between these two schools, and this year’s game at the LA Coliseum will certainly be a college football matchup that cannot be missed.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ USC Trojans Picks & Info
Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ USC Trojans Date: Saturday, November 24th
Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ USC Trojans Location: Los Angeles Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ USC Trojans Spread: USC Trojans -13

Notre Dame will already know at this point what its season is going to be like. This might determine whether it gets to go to a bowl game or a BCS bowl bid, but there is no doubt that the National Championship is not in the picture. It is anyone’s guess as to whether it will be QB Tommy Rees or QB Andrew Hendrix by this point in the season, but either way, we know that the microscope is going to be on both of these athletes by November. Odds have it, both will have played and gone through many ups and downs, and whichever one is under center is going to know that he is in a lot of trouble going up against the stout USC defense.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. USC Trojans Past Games (Since 1995)
2011: USC 31 – Notre Dame 17
2010: Notre Dame 20 – USC 16
2009: USC 34 – Notre Dame 27
2008: USC 38 – Notre Dame 3
2007: USC 38 – Notre Dame 0
2006: USC 44 – Notre Dame 24
2005: USC 34 – Notre Dame 31
2004: USC 41 – Notre Dame 10
2003: USC 45 – Notre Dame 14
2002: USC 44 – Notre Dame 13
2001: Notre Dame 27 – USC 16
2000: Notre Dame 38 – USC 21
1999: Notre Dame 25 – USC 24
1998: USC 10 – Notre Dame 0
1997: USC 20 – Notre Dame 17
1996: USC 27 – Notre Dame 20
1995: Notre Dame 38 – USC 10

This is the first time that we have taken a look at the Trojans in our Top 25 countdown of the best college football matchups of the year, and we have to say that it is obvious that we like what we see. This could be the final home game for QB Matt Barkley, though in all likelihood, the next week, he’ll be playing in the Pac-12 Championship Game at the Coliseum as well. He’ll want to put on a show, as will so many of the other members of the Men of Troy that are going to be leaving for the NFL after this upcoming season is over with. Barkley might also have a Heisman Trophy to go out and win, and you know with the national media all over this game and everything that this team does, every single snap is important. Don’t be all that shocked, especially up against a Notre Dame secondary that has the tendency of being suspect, if Barkley ends up with a huge game on what will be Senior Night.

Notre Dame @ USC Free Picks^^: ‘V’ is for victory, and there is no doubt that USC is going to be proving triumphant in this one. Notre Dame is overrated at this point, but by the end of the year, when the Trojans are either undefeated or on the verge of it, there won’t be a way that this point spread is below two touchdowns. Back the Men of Troy in what could be their final home game to blow the Irish out of the water by at least three scores.

^^Disclaimer: Our college football picks by our sports blog writers are independent of those from our Expert NCAA Football Handicappers. All NCAA football odds and lines in our Top 25 are from the month of August, and those lines could and likely will change by the time the game kicks off.

You won’t want to miss our Notre Dame @ USC picks when our expert college football handicappers have them posted on the week of 11/24/12.