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Notre Dame football: Will Irish continue dominance over USC in 2021?

By Daniel Morrison

BERKELEY, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: The USC Trojans mascot drives his sword into the field before the game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium on September 23, 2017 in Berkeley, California. The USC Trojans defeated the California Golden Bears 30-20. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
BERKELEY, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: The USC Trojans mascot drives his sword into the field before the game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium on September 23, 2017 in Berkeley, California. The USC Trojans defeated the California Golden Bears 30-20. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /
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PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 12: Talanoa Hufanga #15 and Isaiah Pola-Mao #21 of the USC Trojans tackle Kyle Philips #2 of the UCLA Bruins during the first half of a game at the Rose Bowl on December 12, 2020, in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 12: Talanoa Hufanga #15 and Isaiah Pola-Mao #21 of the USC Trojans tackle Kyle Philips #2 of the UCLA Bruins during the first half of a game at the Rose Bowl on December 12, 2020, in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

Notre Dame football: Will Irish continue dominance over USC in 2021?

USC in 2020

2020 was supposed to be the season that USC got bookended by Alabama and Notre Dame, and those both ended up being College Football Playoff teams, with Alabama winning the National Championship. They both would have been losses if USC got the chance to play them.

It also meant that they got out of playing Washington, Oregon, Stanford, and Cal during their conference schedule. There’s a good chance they lose at least two of those four games. Just like that, they would have been around 8-4, with the calls for Clay Helton’s head growing ever louder.

As it worked out, they didn’t have to play any of those teams. Instead, USC went unbeaten during the regular season, with only one game canceled due to COVID-19 protocols. That one game was Colorado, which had a surprisingly strong 2020.

Eventually, USC would win the PAC-12 South, before Oregon beat the Trojans for the PAC-12 Championship. It was a relative success in a year that had no right to be.

Still, there was a good deal of luck that went into last season’s 5-1 record. Three of those five wins came by a score of five points or less, including to both Arizona schools. Those games against the Arizona schools had to be one in the eleventh hour. It took a 14 point fourth quarter, being down 27-14 with just three minutes left to beat Arizona State.

That comeback came with multiple lucky tips. The very next week, against the Arizona Wildcats, they found themselves trailing again in the fourth quarter. This time it was 23-20 with about 8 minutes left. Then Arizona led 30-27 with just 1:35 left in the game. That’s before the Wildcats fell back into prevent, and let USC march to a game-winning touchdown.

In all of this, credit to Kedon Slovis for being clutch when he needed to be clutch, but these games involved a bit of luck that you can’t count on every single season. These things just balance out.

Still, last season was a good luck kind of season for the Trojans, and it was good enough to keep Clay Helton as the USC head coach.

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