Joel Klatt predicts Notre Dame to beat USC

USC and Notre Dame will renew their rivalry this weekend when the undefeated, tenth-ranked Trojans come to South Bend to face the 21st-ranked Fighting Irish. With both teams reeling in their own way, though, Joel Klatt believes the luck will be on the home team’s side on Saturday night.

Klatt picked Notre Dame to beat USC during his show on Thursday. He noted that running the ball will be the key to their success and that their desperation to get out of their rough patch since their first loss of the season will play a part too.

“If they can run the ball then they’re going to win,” said Klatt.

“By the way, they need this one,” Klatt continued. “They need this one desperately because they’ve lost two of these three games in their last three. The one that they won was almost miraculous, they got a 4th & 16. So, if they were to lose at home to USC? In particular with the way that USC has looked over the last few weeks? People would not be happy with Marcus Freeman. This is a game that they have to win.”

Notre Dame has faced a gauntlet over their last three games and into this one. They started with a last-second loss in a Top-10 matchup against Ohio State. That was before barely surviving on the road against a Top-20 Duke team. Then, last weekend, an exhausted Irish squad went to No. 25 Louisville and lost it in the second half by a score of 33-20.

Still, for all that Notre Dame is having to deal with schedule-wise, USC might be in a worse place. That’s solely when it comes from a defensive standpoint. After a decent start over their first three weeks, the Trojans have come out of their bye and given up 36.7 points per game in their last three contests. That included a near comeback by Colorado and close call in triple-overtime against Arizona as both opponents scored 41.

That’s why, considering all things, Klatt is leaning toward Notre Dame. Mix in the weather and he believes it should be a perfect storm for the Irish to get right on the back end of a grueling run.

“I think Notre Dame wins this game,” Klatt said. “There’s rain and wind in the forecast – that lends itself to Notre Dame. You want to slow things down, be methodical, run the ball. That’s what they’re going to have to do.