USC vs. Notre Dame Betting Odds Shift Hours Before Kickoff As Severe Weather Looms

The No. 20 USC Trojans and No. 13 Notre Dame Fighting Irish will square off in must-watch rivalry game. USC and coach Lincoln Riley are underdogs and the betting line keeps shifting, hours before kickoff in South Bend. With severe weather in the forecast and injuries mounting for the Trojans, sports books appear to be favoring Notre Dame.

Notre Dame weather lightening rain Marcus Freeman usc trojans lincoln riley betting odds south bend jayden maiava makai lemon | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The No. 20 USC Trojans head to South Bend on Saturday to take on the No. 13 Notre Dame Fighting Irish in a rivalry game that could have major implications for both programs.

USC and coach Lincoln Riley, enters as the underdog, with sports books adjusting the line in the hours leading up to kickoff. With severe weather in the forecast and injuries mounting for the Trojans, sports books appear to be favoring Notre Dame.

Notre Dame, meanwhile, has largely remained healthy and is coming off a 56-30 blowout of Purdue, giving the home team both a statistical and psychological edge. Analysts note that while USC has the talent and explosive playmakers to keep the game close, depth concerns and injuries could prove costly in a hostile environment.

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates after the defense scored a safety in the second half of a NCAA football game against NC State at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Betting Odds Shift

Notre Dame opened the week up as a 7.5-point favorite vs. the Trojans, but have since become double-digit favorites to take down USC.

The Fighting Irish continue to gain traction, moving to a 9.5-point favorite on Thursday and now a 10.5-point favorite on Draft Kings. The over/under is set at 60.5 total points.

The rivalry battle marks the first time that USC has been an underdog this season - opening up as the favorite in each of their first six games of the season.

Sep 13, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley stands on the sidelines during the first quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Despite beginning the season 0-2 with losses to Miami and Texas A&M, Notre Dame has also opened as the favorite in each game this season.

USC has had trouble winning on the road under coach Lincoln Riley. Four of the Trojans’ five losses in 2024 have come on the road, with their only home defeat coming against Notre Dame in the regular-season finale. The trend highlights the challenge Riley’s team faces heading into South Bend, where hostile crowds, bad weather, injuries and travel fatigue could play a role.

Can the Trojans overcome severe weather and pull off an upset over coach Marcus Freeman's Fighting Irish?

MORE: What Advanced Analytics Say About USC vs. Notre Dame Matchup

MORE: USC's Lincoln Riley Reveals Opinion on Future Rivalry Games vs. Notre Dame

MORE: Three Keys for USC Trojans to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive Against Notre Dame

USC's Injuries

USC’s running back corps suffered a major blow last weekend. Starters Eli Sanders is out for the season with a knee injury, and Waymond Jordan will miss the next four to six weeks following ankle surgery.

Notre Dame cheerleaders fly through the air in the first half of a NCAA football game against NC State at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Stepping up in their absence, redshirt freshman walk-on King Miller delivered a standout performance against Michigan. Miller will take over as the team’s lead running back moving forward, providing a surprising spark for the Trojans’ ground game.

Weather Impact

South Bend is expected to be unseasonably warm on Saturday, with highs near 75 degrees. However, there’s a 100 percent chance of rain, per weather.com and forecasters are warning that strong thunderstorms with lightning are possible. There is one to two inches of rain forecasted for the evening.

Wind gusts could reach up to 35 mph in the afternoon and evening, adding another layer of unpredictability. It’s still too early to tell whether storms will hit before or during the game, but fans and teams should be prepared for the possibility of thunder, lightning, and heavy rain.

Notre Dame (4-2) will face the Trojans (5-1, 3-1) in a top-25 showdown and Jeweled Shillelagh Trophy game on Saturday, Oct. 18, at 7:30 p.m. ET at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana with live coverage on NBC and streaming available on Peacock.

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• Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. 
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