SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Saturday, October 18, 2025, will either go down in history as the last scheduled meeting between the USC Trojans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish or could add another pivotal chapter to one of the most legendary college football rivalries. With the rivalry currently in limbo, Saturday's game is set to take place in South Bend, a location all too familiar to Trojans fans, filled with disappointment and heartbreak.
Hopefully, this year's Trojans' squad can overcome the shortcomings from previous meetings with the Irish, and they project to meet that expectation, coming off a huge Big Ten conference win against the Michigan Wolverines. Highlighted by the consistent performances from Heisman candidate quarterback Jayden Maiava, star wide receiver Makia Lemon, and the breakthrough game of former walk-on running back King Miller, USC is setting the bar high for another slugfest in South Bend.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws a pass in the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
OFFENSE IS KEY DESPITE INJURIES:
Offensively, the Trojans have displayed numbers that have blown the rest of the competition that plays in the Big Ten out of the water. USC is the only program in the Big Ten that has scored 30-plus points in every game thus far, which is in part due to the performances of Maiava, Lemon, and the dominant running back depth. With some concern in the running back room heading into South Bend, as both Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders are set to miss significant time with injuries moving forward, it gives Miller another chance to try and replicate or improve on the last performance he showcased against the Wolverines at the Coliseum.
Circling back to Maiava, another consistent outing at the helm will be detrimental on the offensive front for the Trojans. Heading into this game, Maiava has thrown for 1,852 yards, with 13 touchdowns and a QB rating of 93.1. The junior quarterback is looking like yet another Lincoln Riley quarterback success story in the making.
The main focus for Notre Dame's defense will be on Lemon and how they could neutralize his ability to give the Trojans jolts offensively. This will most likely result in double or even triple coverage on him at the secondary, so to counteract that, Maiava could turn to Ja'Kobi Lane to make big plays if need be.
With the offensive line looking to be similar to how it was during the Michigan game, with Syracuse transfer J'Onre Reed manning the center position with Kilian O' Connor out, and the status of Elijah Paige still in question, the offensive line will have its biggest test playing against the Fighting Irish on the road, but just like the Trojans, Notre Dame will miss some key pieces on defense. The Fighting Irish defensive lineman Gabriel Rubio has been ruled out with an elbow injury, so Notre Dame will have to cycle between freshman edge Cole Mullins, senior Jared Dawson, and junior Elijah Hughes.
Jordan Teller - The Sporting Tribune
Offensive lineman J'Onre Reed #50 of the USC Trojans gets ready to snap the ball during a college football game against the Michigan Wolverines at the Los Angeles Coliseum on October 11, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
TROJANS DEFENSIVE OUTLOOK AGAINST NOTRE DAME:
Since the beginning of the season, the question has been whether the effectiveness of the defense, especially the secondary, exceeds that of years prior. So far, this question remains unanswered as the defense has shown that they can get those crucial stops, but have also showcased broken coverages among other mishaps.
Junior safety Kamari Ramsey and senior safety Bishop Fitzgerald, who has been playing out of position, could prove to be the difference makers in this Trojan's defense. With both Ramsey and Fitzgerald wrinkling out any drawbacks in the secondary, it all comes down to the defensive line to pressure the Fighting Irish quarterback, CJ Carr.
Carr will be another test for the Trojans as a whole and possibly the best quarterback they have played to this point in the season. Pressuring Carr to throw the ball and neutralize the run, especially with top-tier running backs in Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Prince, will give the Trojans a much-needed edge against a Notre Dame team that is looking to score early and quickly.
All in all, there is more than meets the eye when looking at how crucial this game is for both of these programs. An iconic rivalry ready for its final rodeo; two storied franchises looking for a potential CFP bid; what more could you ask for when the Trojans and Fighting Irish play at South Bend?