Loaded College Football Slate Highlighted By USC-Notre Dame Rivalry

The No. 20 USC Trojans' matchup against the No. 13 Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday night has major College Football Playoff implications. How can a USC win over Notre Dame impact the Trojans' College Football Playoff chances?

Sep 27, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley before an NCAA football game with the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

The No. 20 USC Trojans will face off against the No. 13 Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday night in a game with massive College Football Playoff implications for both teams. USC's matchup against Notre Dame is also one of the five matchups in week 8 between ranked teams.

It's the first time this season that there will be five ranked matchups on the same weekend. Several of the ranked games on Saturday will also have major playoff implications, as the first rankings for the 12-team bracket are a few weeks away.

Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans running back Bryan Jackson (21) gets past Michigan Wolverines linebacker Cole Sullivan (23) and runs for a touchdown in the second half at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

For the first time this season, there are 5 ranked matchups in a weekend 🍿👀

Which game are you most excited to watch? pic.twitter.com/XdDfmWSFWy

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 14, 2025

USC Aiming to Play Spoiler Against Notre Dame On Saturday

Entering Saturday night's matchup, the Trojans are looking to break a two-game losing streak in their rivalry series against Notre Dame and earn their first win in South Bend since 2011. A win over Notre Dame for USC would give the Trojans a huge boost in their chances of earning a spot in the 12-team playoff.

A loss for Notre Dame will all but likely end the Fighting Irish's hopes of reaching the playoff after starting the season 0-2 with heartbreaking losses to No. 2 Miami and No. 4 Texas A&M. Saturday's matchup against the Trojans looks to be Notre Dame's toughest remaining game on its schedule.

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If the Fighting Irish were to win out and finish the regular season with a 10-2 overall record, it would be hard for some to keep them out of the 12-team bracket, given that their two losses would be against likely playoff teams.

Losing to Notre Dame Wouldn't Eliminate USC From The College Football Playoff

Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans offensive lineman Micah Banuelos (59), quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) and USC Trojans defensive end Jadyn Ramos (95) celebrate after defeating the Michigan Wolverines at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

While losing to Notre Dame would hurt USC's playoff chances, it wouldn't eliminate the Trojans from contention entirely. USC could still lose to Notre Dame and win out with signature wins against No. 25 Nebraska and No. 8 Oregon on the road.

Depending on how the rest of the season plays out for the several other playoff contenders, that alone should be enough for USC to earn a spot in the field. A birth in the playoff would be huge for USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans' fanbase's confidence in the direction he's taking the football program.

Other Ranked Matchups Worth Watching In Week 8

Oct 11, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin reacts with wide receiver Cayden Lee (19) during the fourth quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The four other ranked matchups in week 8 are worth watching on Saturday, beginning with a high-stakes top-ten SEC matchup between the No. 5 Ole Miss Rebels and the No. 9 Georgia Bulldogs in Athens.

Two other SEC games later in the afternoon are worth watching, including the No. 11 Tennessee Volunteers taking on the No. 6 Alabama Crimson Tide, as well as a matchup between the No. 10 LSU Tigers and the No. 17 Vanderbilt Commodores.

The week 8 slate of ranked matchups will conclude with the "Holy War" rivalry game between the No. 23 Utah Utes and the undefeated No. 15 BYU Cougars in Provo.