David Pollack predicts USC-Notre Dame winner in Week 8 game

Analyst backs Notre Dame in USC showdown, citing balance, takeaways, and trend lines.

College football analyst David Pollack is picking the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to win against the USC Trojans this weekend. | Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

The rivalry renews in South Bend with urgency and brand power. No. 20 USC arrives with elite production through the air and on the ground, while No. 13 Notre Dame counters with a growing offense and a defense that has turned takeaways into momentum.

The stage is set for a meeting that will steer each team’s trajectory in the second half of October, drawing a national window alongside layers of recent form and series history to frame a clean, high-output possibility.

On Wednesday’s episode of See Ball Get Ball, college football analyst David Pollack endorsed Notre Dame. He framed this matchup as a checkpoint for the Irish and a statement opportunity at home.

The read centered on quarterback CJ Carr’s surge, a group of playmakers that includes Eli Raridon and Will Pauling, and a two-back engine led by Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. Add a turnover profile that has tilted toward Notre Dame, and Pollack’s view stacked evidence for the home side.

David Pollack Picks Notre Dame to Beat USC in Statement Performance

Pollack made his position clear. “So I’m right there with you. I think Notre Dame gets a big win, and I think they prove something to a lot of people. Then they start to earn their ranking, and all you’ve got to do is get hot toward the end of the season. That’s all you’ve got to do, man. And I think they’re going to curb-stomp the rest of their schedule.”

His case reflected trends on both sides of the ball. Carr has stacked consecutive 300-yard passing games, Raridon topped 100 receiving yards last week, and Pauling hit the 100-yard mark for the first time this season.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end Eli Raridon (9) is coming off one of his biggest games of the year against NC State where he caught seven passes for 109 yards. | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

The backfield tandem of Love and Price gives coordinator Mike Denbrock flexible calls that keep USC honest, and recent series scoring offers added proof that Notre Dame has found consistent answers.

Pollack underscored Notre Dame’s ball-hawking defense with 11 interceptions spread across eight different players and a turnover margin that supports the plan. He projected a shootout where both teams reach the 30s and gave a final score of Notre Dame 38, USC 34, which aligns with a home environment and an offense that has finished drives with points against this opponent in recent meetings.

Matchups and Metrics That Shape Notre Dame vs. USC

The profile is defined by contrast. USC enters with 552.3 yards per game, second in the FBS, a passing attack at 325.8 that also ranks second, and a 45.5 scoring average that is third. Quarterback Jayden Maiava has distributed the ball efficiently to a deep group led by Makai Lemon, and King Miller’s 158-yard breakout versus Michigan showed the Trojans can sustain their run game through personnel shifts. USC converts 55.2 percent on third down and scores on 93.9 percent of red zone trips, testing an Irish defense that ranks 60th on third down and 78th in red zone defense.

Notre Dame carries a balanced answer. The Irish average 465.5 yards per game and 40.0 points, with Carr at 1,622 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and three interceptions. Love has produced 530 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, while Jordan Faison leads in receiving yardage. The defense has limited opponents to 105.3 rushing yards per game and has generated takeaways that change possession count.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Leonard Moore (15) is accumulating midseason recognition and has already posted three interceptions and a forced fumble this season. | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Penalties and field position are a swing factor as well, since USC’s 67.3 penalty yards per game can extend drives for an opponent that already owns a +6 turnover margin. Personnel matchups at the edge will determine leverage and rhythm. Lemon’s route craft and ball skills meet a secondary led by Leonard Moore, whose production and recognition reflect the Irish turnover surge.

If Notre Dame sustains a credible run threat with Love and Price, it can balance Carr’s timing throws and flatten USC’s pressure looks. That blend supports Pollack’s view that the Irish are built to finish drives and protect a late lead at home.

The Irish will host the Trojans on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.