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Friday, December 13, 2002
No. 10 Notre Dame
at USC
By Will Weiss
BCSfootball.com
Notre Dame and USC are not where the so-called experts thought they would be.
It's down to the regular season finale for both teams, and No. 10 Notre Dame has a chance to become an at-large team in the Bowl Championship Series with a win over intersectional rival Southern California on Saturday (ABC, 3:30 p.m. ET).
"It's fun to be out here and having something to play for," said Notre Dame head coach Bob Davie.
|  | | Regardless of what happens Saturday, Paul Hackett is out of a job at USC. |
What does USC have to play for? A chance to play spoiler against one of its fiercest rivals, and also a chance to send head coach Paul Hackett off on a positive note, if he is indeed fired at the end of the season. It's a role the Trojans have savored the last two trips the Irish have made to the L.A. Coliseum.
At the beginning of September, folks in South Bend were still mulling over the possibility of bringing in a new head coach next season. An opening four-game schedule of Texas A&M, Nebraska, Purdue and Michigan State appeared to cast a gloom over the Golden Dome.
Then, in the overtime loss to Nebraska, quarterback Arnaz Battle went down with a season-ending wrist injury, and the Irish's hopes seemed to fade. Converted tight end Gary Godsey led the Irish to an upset of Purdue, but he faltered against Michigan State.
Since then, true freshman Matt LoVecchio has run the Notre Dame offense and the team has won six straight.
"He (Davie) has done a heck of a job keeping things in perspective," said tight end Dan O'Leary.
Out west, Southern Cal was lauded for its talent and speed, and was the preseason favorite to win the Pac-10. The Trojans' dismantling of Penn State in the Kickoff Classic was supposed to signify good fortunes. USC jumped to a 3-0 start and were ranked as high as No. 9 in the Coaches Poll and No. 8 by the Associated Press.
The smooth-riding Trojan Horse then turned into a bucking bronco.
Five straight losses left people wondering what happened to this team. Fans called for the firing of head coach Paul Hackett and students established a Web site, www.firepaulhackett.com. Trojan fans should get their wish, regardless of Saturday's outcome.
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ABC analyst Tim Brant:
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When I look at this game, I see a game that's just perfect for an upset. USC is in terrific shape, coming off its 38-35 win at UCLA last week. This is the toughest team Notre Dame will face in the last five or six games. USC has more talent and speed than Rutgers, Navy, Air Force or BC, and they're playing for their coach, who's gone after the season.
With that said, Notre Dame is 8-2 and looking for that ninth win to get the Irish into a BCS bowl, so they, too, have a lot of motivation.
Notre Dame has to play like it did earlier in the season against Nebraska and Purdue -- a physical game where running the football is at a premium. They also need production from their young quarterback, Matt LoVecchio. Julius Jones, though he's been banged up, needs to have a big game for the Irish as well.
For USC, there's no doubt the Trojans have to play with the same emotion they played with against UCLA. They must establish the run, avoid turnovers, and get a mistake-free game from Carson Palmer. Look for big games on defense from linebackers Zeke Moreno and Markus Steele.
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When Notre Dame has the ball:
LoVecchio's addition to the lineup has paid huge dividends for Davie's offense. In his six starts, the 6-foot-3 quarterback has shown mobility (255 yards rushing), accuracy (11 TDs to one INT), and most of all, poise. It's no accident he's undefeated.
"I don't look at it like I'm 6-0; I look at it like the team is 6-0," LoVecchio said. "We've had guys step up and make some big plays and I'm glad I've been able to do my part."
LoVecchio adds more to the offense than Godsey did. The main concern after Battle went down was how offensive coordinator Kevin Rogers would maintain an option attack. LoVecchio's mobility affords Rogers the freedom to use the option more freely than he could with the not-as-agile Godsey.
Averaging 210.3 yards per game on the ground, Notre Dame has gone back to its roots of pounding the football. The Irish have talented running backs in Julius Jones and Tony Fisher, who have combined for more than 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. Dependent on Jones' health, the two backs provide a formidable 1-2 combination in the backfield. Terrance Howard has done a fine job as the third back.
USC's defense is geared towards stopping the run, with speed and strength on the defensive line and a corps of linebackers with unlimited potential. However, the Trojans have struggled against teams with good running backs and versatile offenses like Oregon State, Oregon and Arizona.
The onus is on the front seven to plug the line of scrimmage and take away the triple threat of Fisher, Jones and LoVecchio and force Notre Dame to go to the air. Linebacker Zeke Moreno is the man to watch in the middle for USC. He leads the team with 89 tackles, and will attack the ball.
|  | | Joey Getherall will play his final regular season game not far from where he grew up. |
The Irish substitute quantity for quality when it comes to the passing game. It's not the No. 1 mode of offense, but Rogers uses it effectively. And his receivers have produced: David Givens leads the team with 23 catches; Javin Hunter has hauled in 11 passes; and Joey Getherall, who grew up in Los Angeles, has 16 catches, including four touchdowns.
They will go against a depleted USC secondary that has picked off only seven passes this season. Look for Notre Dame to pick on 5-foot-9 corner Darrell Rideaux, who has been prone to penalties this season.
Remember Godsey? He'll start at tight end Saturday due to Jabari Holloway's knee injury.
It will be interesting to see to what degree Notre Dame can wear down this speedy USC defense with its ball-control style.
When USC has the ball:
Southern Cal's first offensive series will give a clue as to whether or not the Trojans will be in this game mentally. After an emotional win at UCLA, when Carson Palmer threw for 350 yards and four touchdowns, it's possible the team could suffer a letdown, much like it did against Washington State after beating Arizona State.
"This is not Washington State we're playing," Hackett said. "This is a Top 10 team and clearly the best team we've played all year."
Despite all the talent surrounding him, in receivers Kareem Kelly and Steve Stevenson, tight end Antoine Harris, and backs Sultan McCullough and Malaefou Mackenzie, Palmer has struggled this season, throwing 16 interceptions. For USC to have a shot, Palmer has to play a flawless game, much like he did against UCLA.
McCullough is the real key, however. The Trojan offense is at its best when he is running strong -- slashing through holes, and then running over defenders in the open field.
In USC's six losses, McCullough has rushed for just 15 carries and 85.5 yards. However, in the Trojans' five wins, he has averaged 25 carries and 127 yards -- those same numbers could spell a W for the Men of Troy. Notre Dame must not forget about Mackenzie or Petros Papadakis, who are receiving threats as well as capable blockers and ball carriers.
McCullough's prominence, coupled with Notre Dame's below-average run defense, makes for an intriguing matchup on the line of scrimmage. Ryan Roberts, who took over at defensive end after Grant Irons' season-ending shoulder injury, will go against the gargantuan Faaesea Mailo (6-4, 330) who holds a two-inch, 79-pound advantage over him. If there's ever a game where Notre Dame needs to be quick off the ball to stop the run, this is it.
Watch for linebackers Anthony Denman and Tyreo Harrison to add pressure near the line as well.
This is a game that could be a trap for Notre Dame if it isn't careful. Notre Dame is winless in its last three games in Los Angeles, and has lost its last two -- losses that cost the Irish big-time bowl appearances.
"This game is all that matters," said wide receiver David Givens. "Two years ago was a tough loss out there. It hurt for a long time. We don't want to go through that again."
News and notes:
USC linebacker Markus Steele is listed as probable for Saturday's game, after lasting only one series against UCLA.
Notre Dame's Getherall is coming home for Thanksgiving weekend. He grew up in nearby Hacienda Heights, Calif. and went to Bishop Amat High School. His father is a USC graduate.
USC has a chance to complete its first season sweep of UCLA and Notre Dame since 1981.
Notre Dame leads the all-time series 40-26-5.
Quote of the Week: "I'm not going to worry about the results of this game. Honestly. We're going to go out there, play our rear ends off, whatever happens happens. We're going to take our best shot. I'll let everyone else worry about how much money's involved in this game, what bowl game's involved with this game."
--Notre Dame head coach Bob Davie
Will Weiss is the assistant editor of BCSfootball.com.
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