Notre Dame puts a wrap on the 2024 regular season Saturday afternoon when they travel to Los Angeles to take on the Southern Cal Trojans. The 10-1 Irish are hoping for their 10th straight win that very well could clinch a home playoff berth. On the other hand, the 6-5 Trojans have a modest two-game win streak and hope to enhance their bowl opportunities with an upset win here.
This storied rivalry dates back to December 4, 1926, when Knute Rockne’s Notre Dame squad was victorious, 13-12. This will be the 95th meeting between the two schools, with the fortunes for both schools changing dramatically since the Irish’s 48-20 blowout win. Including that game, the Irish have won 15 of their last 17 games, while the Trojans have dropped 10 of their last 18 contests.
Below is a look at some of the key matchups for Saturday’s clash:
QB Riley Leonard vs. Southern Cal Defense
Leonard only threw for 148 yards against Army but connected for two scores in less than three quarters of action. His passing talents have continued to blossom since midseason and have helped open up the Notre Dame offense. He’s only thrown two interceptions since the loss to Northern Illinois and remains a dangerous running option that can cause havoc for opponents.
The Trojans have allowed 21.2 points per game but have been vulnerable to teams with strong passing games, with Penn State and Maryland shredding them for a combined 773 yards in consecutive weeks last month. Irish runners may also be able to put a dent in the Southern Cal armor since all but two teams have broken 100 rushing yards in a game this season against the Trojans and scored 15 touchdowns.
Notre Dame Defense vs. Jayden Maiava
This unit continues to operate at peak efficiency for the Irish, allowing only two touchdowns against Army, the latter a garbage-time score in the final minute. Delivering pressure up front and continuing to force turnover help explain why the Irish have been so dominant on this side of the ball and why they’re only allowing 11.6 points, second-best among all FBS teams.
Maiava transferred from UNLV during the offseason and had seen only brief snippets of playing until being named as a starter for the Trojans’ game against Nebraska. He led Southern Cal to a win in that game and then led a fourth-quarter comeback Saturday night against UCLA. He’s thrown just one interception in his 81 pass attempts this season and has tossed four touchdown passes.
MLB Drayk Bowen vs. RB Jo’quavious Marks
Bowen’s second season with the Irish has been a good one. His key contributions have helped deliver the type of shutdown performances that have been seen all season long. He’s racked up 55 tackles, including a pair behind the line of scrimmage. His hard hitting has helped force a pair of fumbles and he’s also knocked away a pair of opposing pass attempts.
In his first season after transferring from Mississippi State, Marks has been a do-it-all player who leads the Trojans in both rushing and receiving. His 1,100 yards on the ground come at a clip of 5.7 yards per carry. He’s scored nine rushing touchdowns but ironically has had none in the past two important wins. He’s also caught 47 passes, most for short yardage.
RB Jeremiyah Love/Jadarian Price vs. MLB Easton Mascarenas-Arnold
At this point of the season, using either Love or Price delivers the same impact for the Irish running attack. Love again broke off a long scoring run against Army, one of three scores he had on the night. Not to be outdone, Price also reached the end zone two times, including one in which he broke a series of tackles. For good measure, freshman Aeneas Williams continues to develop into another running asset.
Yet another transfer, Mascarenas-Arnold arrived from Oregon State with big things expected of him. He’s largely delivered on those projections, leading the Trojans in tackles with 88, including five behind the line. He stands only five-feet-11 but it’s clear that he knows how to bring down ballcarriers and is someone that Notre Dame needs to keep an eye on all game.
NT Rylie Mills vs. C Jonah Monheim
Despite not having Howard Cross beside him on the defensive line the past few weeks, Mills has continued to flourish by making stops and also finding a way to take down the opposing quarterback, He brings aggression to the field, which sometimes results in a penalty, like his hands-to-the-face flag that extended Army’s first scoring drive.
Monheim is a smart player with good footwork who’s managed to see action at all five offensive line positions. He sometimes lacks the explosion needed to open holes for Southern Cal runners, but definitely has the size to battle at six-feet-five and 310 pounds.
