Lincoln Riley, Marcus Freeman on the USC - Notre Dame Rivalry

Lincoln Riley and Marcus Freeman are going to get their first looks at the USC – Notre Dame rivalry as head coaches on Saturday. The 2010 edition, when USC’s Lane Kiffin and Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly were in their first year as head coaches of the programs, was the last time two first-year head coaches of the Trojans and Irish met. In that one, Kiffin had spent six years previously on the USC staff. In this one, Freeman’s one-year stint as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator in 2021 is the only previous knowledge either has of this game. But both know what’s at stake in this one and both are looking forward to the experience.

Freeman does have some experience playing in the Coliseum. He was on the 2008 Ohio State team that got steamrolled by a dominant USC team. But with Notre Dame last season, Freeman helped host the Trojans in South Bend. He said the rivalry feels a little bit different going to Los Angeles for the final game of the season.

“To be a part of this rivalry for the last game of the year, and there’s a lot on the line for both teams and this is a huge rivalry for us that goes back many years,” Freeman said. “There’s a different feeling about this one. And I can feel it amongst our program and our players. I knew it last year. But this year being at the end of the year and at USC, you can really feel it.”

Riley said from Day 1 at USC that the Trojans have championship expectations going into the season. But in a way, the Trojans might consider themselves in the playoffs right now with four games on the schedule instead of two. Putting that kind of pressure on what is already an intense rivalry creates the kind of college football atmosphere Riley lives for.

“There’s so many great reasons to want to play this game and play well,” Riley said. “Where do you stop, honestly? The opportunities for this team. Getting a chance to play in a historic rivalry. Obviously, the last chance for this team to play in the Coliseum. To continue the momentum we have. Just to get a chance to go out there and compete against a good opponent. It’s awesome. It’s how you would hope to be finishing up a regular season. It’ll be a great setting. I’tll be a lot of fun. Our team will be extremely excited to play this game.”

Creating a Home-Field Advantage

USC has been tested on the road this season. The Trojans struggled in Corvallis against Oregon State. The only loss of the season came by one point at an electrice Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. And the Rose Bowl served as the site of USC’s most recent big win. Now, the Coliseum gets a chance to host a big one and while Riley prepares his team to get up for the challenge of Notre Dame, he hopes USC fans rise to the challenge of creating a significant home-field advantage.

Twice since the end of the UCLA game he’s mentioned wanting to get as many people as possible to the Coliseum for this one. One of college football’s big games with so much on the line deserves as much attention and fanfare as possible.

“There’s a ton of momentum,” Riley said of USC. “We’ve got to do our part there. And then fans have to do their part. Because that makes the atmospheres better, that makes the recruitinb better, that makes the home-field advantage stronger. That’s why most teams are so tough to beat on the road, because they have a tremendous home-field advantage. It makes a difference. And so I just think there’s a really, really cool product here. The history of this city has been, when there’s really good, successful, high-quality products, the following is unbelievable. And that’s, I think, where we’re headed. And we’re all eager to get there.”

The Coliseum has not seen a sellout crowd this season. But the expectation is there could be one on Saturday. For the first USC – Notre Dame game between two ranked teams since 2017 and so much on the line, the USC players deserve an electric atmosphere for this regular season finale.