Notre Dame football: Toughest stretch of the 2022 schedule

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Oct 23, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Isaiah Foskey (7) gets a hand on USC Trojans quarterback Kedon Slovis (9) in the fourth quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

Notre Dame football: Toughest stretch of the 2022 schedule

November 26 at USC

The final game of the season is going to be a special one, as both the USC Trojans and Notre Dame football teams could be serious CFP contenders at this point. The 2022 USC Trojans are going to be a lot different than they were a year ago, when they struggled in terms of their play on the field, and at the head coaching spot.

Lincoln Riley shocked the college football landscape when he bolted Oklahoma for the Trojans, and he took some of his elite Sooners players with him. They are going to be a tough out this year, and while they have not beaten the Irish since the 2016 college football season, I believe this will be the second-toughest game of the Notre Dame schedule.

Marcus Freeman listens during a news conference Monday, Dec. 6, 2021 at the Irish Athletic Center in South Bend, Ind. Notre Dame formally introduced Freeman as its new football coach, a meteoric rise for the defensive coordinator. (Michael Caterina/South Bend Tribune via AP)
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The truth is, the 2022 Irish schedule is a daunting one, and while they could certainly go undefeated if things fall the right way, they also could be a nine-win team going into the bowl season. Getting off on a good foot against Clemson is huge for this stretch because if they struggle, the CFP will likely be out of reach.

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