USC – Notre Dame football memories from the 1980s and 1990s

While the 1980s and 1990s weren’t as majestic for #USC – #NotreDame compared to the 1960s and 1970s, there were still some special games.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the USC-Notre Dame football rivalry took off and reached a very special place in its evolution.

Nearly every year from 1964 through 1974 — when John McKay faced Ara Parseghian in a battle of two legendary coaches — at least one of the two schools was in the hunt for the national championship in November. USC and Notre Dame joined Alabama under Bear Bryant, Texas under Darrell Royal, and Nebraska under Bob Devaney as consistent powerhouse programs in that time.

The 1980s and 1990s weren’t as glorious for the Notre Dame-USC clash, but there were still some great games (1986) and mountaintop moments (1988’s 1-versus-2 battle). Here are some photos from those decades:

USC-Notre Dame classic photos from John McKay-Ara Parseghian glory days

.@IrishWireND would agree: The 1964-1974 11-Year War between John McKay and Ara Parseghian needs an @ESPN @30for30 documentary. #USC

When people talk about “the good old days,” such a longing for nostalgia can cloud the memory. When a person is quick to say how much better things were back then, it can simply be a longing for the innocence of childhood, or a return to a time when things were simpler. That can be a naive instinct. It might not be informed by reality or a mature understanding of a situation.

Human beings long to go back to what is comfortable, but that doesn’t necessarily mean things were actually better in the past. Emotions can — and do — overpower reason and rationality.

Yet, some times, things really and truly were better back in the day.

Consider the USC-Notre Dame football rivalry.

From 1964 through 1974, John McKay of the Trojans and Ara Parseghian of the Irish gave USC-Notre Dame 11 special games and a battle of iconic coaches who regularly competed for national titles.

Notre Dame won the national title in 1966 under Parseghian. USC won it all in 1967 under McKay.

USC won the national title in 1972. Notre Dame came back and won the national championship in 1973. USC won it in 1974.

Even after McKay and Parseghian left, the schools won natties in consecutive seasons yet again: Notre Dame in 1977 under Dan Devine, USC in 1978 under John Robinson.

The 1960s and 1970s were glory years for USC and Notre Dame. Relive their rivalry when it was at its height in these amazing photos:

Knute Rockne, American Icon

To learn more about Knute Rockne, visit the Knute Rockne Memorial Society page at rocknesociety.org. #NotreDame #USC

USC-Notre Dame is as American as apple pie.

Knute Rockne, more than any other man, gave rise to the Notre Dame-USC rivalry. Interestingly enough, he was courted vigorously by USC in the mid-1920s, but he was still under contract at Notre Dame, so a possible deal to become USC’s new head coach did not get finalized. Rockne stayed at Notre Dame. Howard Jones became USC’s head coach and the man who, with Rockne, launched the Irish-Trojan rivalry which has meant so much to college football over the past 96 years, and which is always a great rivalry when both teams are at or close to their peak.

This year’s game will bring back some of the flavor of Notre Dame-USC.

We talked to Jim Lefebvre, the director of the Knute Rockne Memorial Society, about Rockne and his legend and the USC deal which almost was. The Rockne Society will have its annual Spirit of Sports Awards Celebration this Friday, Nov. 25, at the Center at Cathedral Plaza on 555 West Temple Street in Los Angeles. The festivities begin at 11 a.m.

Here is our podcast with Jim Lefebvre:

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Favorite USC-Notre Dame games, players, moments, and much more

.@IrishWireND’s @NickShepkowski joins us to explore #USC – #NotreDame history. Discover things you might not have known about ND-SC.

There’s a lot to say about this Saturday’s Notre Dame-USC game, and we’re going to get to a lot of the different storylines before the week is done. However, we also have to look back at the history of this storied series, especially in a year when Notre Dame returns to Los Angeles for the first time since 2018. The 2020 game scheduled for the Coliseum was wiped out by the pandemic.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Wire editor Nick Shepkowski is a great collaborator. He has been working with us all week to give you lots of great content on ND-SC from a Notre Dame perspective. He joined us to relive favorite Notre Dame-USC memories and to provide a lot of historical facts you might not have known about this rivalry:

Notre Dame isn’t playing for a national title, but the stakes are still high vs USC

We’re teaming up with @IrishWireND to cover #NotreDame vs #USC. Irish Wire looks at the stakes attached to Saturday’s showdown.

Sure, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish aren’t playing for a College Football Playoff spot against the USC Trojans on Saturday. The playoff is within reach for USC, but not the Irish.

That’s okay (certainly from a USC perspective). The Irish still have a lot to play for, as John Kennedy of Fighting Irish Wire explains.

We encourage you to read everything Fighting Irish Wire is producing on this game. We’re collaborating a lot with Irish Wire on pregame stories and features, including the burning questions attached to Saturday night’s big clash in the Los Angeles Coliseum. This is the first time USC and ND will play in L.A. since 2018. The pandemic canceled the 2020 meeting in the Coli.

(h/t John Kennedy of Fighting Irish Wire)

Burning questions for USC – Notre Dame football throwdown

There are tons of questions to ask about #USC – #NotreDame, so we and @IrishWireND’s @NickShepkowski answered them!

This little snippet from Fighting Irish Wire editor Nick Shepkowski should get your blood pumping before Saturday’s renewal of the USC-Notre Dame rivalry:

“We’re all about to enter an era that this rivalry hasn’t seen in a sustained matter since the seventies,” Shepkowski wrote.

“Yes, there is a lot of hate and a lot of winning between Michigan and Ohio State as well as Alabama and Auburn.  Army and Navy is a classic you can set your watch to, but all things considered, Notre Dame-USC is the best rivalry in college football when both are ticking.”

Nick joined us to answer lots of key questions about Notre Dame and USC. We go “Behind Enemy Lines” as we rev up our coverage of this huge game on Saturday night:

Evaluating Notre Dame heading into this week’s USC showdown

.@IrishWireND gave a thorough look at #NotreDame after the blowout of Boston College. Learn about the Irish heading into their duel with #USC.

Many times in sports, it doesn’t matter if a given achievement comes against an inferior or weak opponent. What matters more is that an athlete or a group of players gains confidence. So what if they fattened up against a tomato can? They played well. They saw good things happen. They scored lots of touchdowns and shut down the opposing team’s offense. Doing good things and playing well can feed confidence regardless of how weak the opponent is.

That’s what Notre Dame did against Boston College. It’s also what happened for USC’s Korey Foreman against Colorado, which fed his confidence heading into the UCLA game and fueled him with the belief needed to make that huge play in the final two minutes against the Bruins.

With that in mind, let’s look at Notre Dame after the Irish’s blowout of Boston College. Fighting Irish Wire editor Nick Shepkowski provided analysis of the game, and you will want to follow Fighting Irish Wire throughout the next seven days.

(h/t Nick Shepkowski of Fighting Irish Wire)

USC loses leading rusher to apparent knee injury

All the best to him after this

Notre Dame’s biggest rival was in action Friday night as No. 8 USC played host to Colorado.  Following a bizarre first quarter that ended with the 1-8 Buffaloes holding a 3-2 lead, USC had a second quarter they’d certainly like to forget.

Sure, the Trojans shook off the issues from the first quarter and came alive for 24 second-quarter points, but USC lost one of their offensive leaders to an apparent knee injury. Travis Dye, who entered the night leading USC in rushing yards by roughly 570, was lost in the second quarter.

Dye remained down after being tackled and was seen grabbing his left knee.  Shortly after the cart was on its way out and the entire USC bench huddled around Dye.  He was eventually carted off and acknowledged the crowd while exiting.

Dye was not only USC’s leading rusher but was responsible for half of their 18 rushing scores in 2022.

There is no word as of posting about the seriousness of Dye’s injury but from what we watched on TV, it certainly didn’t look good.  We’ll keep an eye on this story as Trojans Wire will certainly have any and all details in regard to it.  We’ll also send our prayers and well-wishes to Dye in hopes this ends up being a lot less serious than it looked.

As for the game, USC had opened things up to a 26-3 third-quarter lead and cruised to a 55-17 victory.

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USC vs Notre Dame Prediction, Game Preview

USC Trojans vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish prediction, game preview, how to watch: Saturday, October 23

USC vs Notre Dame prediction, game preview, how to watch: Saturday, October 23


USC vs Notre Dame How To Watch

Date: Saturday, October 23
Game Time: 7:30 ET
Venue: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
How To Watch: NBC
Record: USC (3-3), Notre Dame (5-1)
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USC vs Notre Dame Game Preview


Why USC Will Win

It’s been a rough, rough run for USC.

Clay Helton was fired early on, the team hasn’t been able to settle into any sort of a groove, the Pac-12 title hopes are all but crushed, and everyone just wants to get to 2021 and the new era – whatever that is.

But the team has enjoyed two weeks off, and it’s had a strange way of rising up and adjusting its way to a win to follow every clunker of a loss – and it’s coming off a loss to Utah.

The crazy part is that the team isn’t playing all that poorly. The defensive pressure is starting to ramp up, the passing game continues to produce, and the offense is the best in the Pac-12 in total yards.

Talent-wise, it’s all there to matchup just fine with an Irish team that’s struggling with its consistency – at least with the ground game.

The Notre Dame offensive line isn’t good enough, the quarterback situation is in constant flux, and …

Week 8 CFN College Football Expert Picks

Why Notre Dame Will Win

The passing game should work.

Don’t get too comfortable no matter who’s in at quarterback – Jack Coan is probably going to get the early nod – but the production will be okay against a secondary that got hammered by Utah for over 300 yards a few weeks ago.

USC hasn’t cranked up the pass rush for the entire year – the sacks haven’t been flowing until the last two games.

Yeah, USC has alternated win-loss-win-loss from the start, but the wins have come against the mediocre – San Jose State, Washington State, Colorado – and the losses have come against the mediocre-to-better.

Utah is getting stronger, but the Trojans have yet to play anyone who’s all that great. Outside of the Utes, they haven’t dealt with anyone who’s a rock solid lock to go bowling.

Notre Dame’s win over Purdue looks a whole lot stronger now. It dealt with Wisconsin’s defense, Virginia Tech’s style, and it played okay in the loss to Cincinnati.

However …

Week 8 College Football Schedule, Predictions, Game Previews

What’s Going To Happen

Can the Notre Dame offensive line produce?

No, USC’s defensive front hasn’t been good enough this year overall, but it came up with seven sacks in the last two games and 12 of the 24 tackles for loss on the year.

The Irish allow way too many plays behind the line, but against the Trojans, the defense will make up for the problems.

Don’t expect anything from the USC running game, but Kedon Slovis and the passing attack will keep on producing late.

Notre Dame will get the late takeaway it needs to survive.

CFN Week 7 NFL Expert Picks

USC vs Notre Dame Prediction, Line

Notre Dame 34, USC 27
Line: Notre Dame -6.5, o/u: 58
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2

Must See Rating: 4

5: Succession
1: Dancing with the Stars: Grease Night

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