Since the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Southern Cal Trojans first faced each other in December 1926, the two schools have formal the greatest intersectional rivalry in the sport, meeting virtually every year since, with the 2023 Irish blowout victory marking their 94th meeting. Arguably, the most controversial clash between them took place on Oct. 15, 2005, when the Trojans eked out a 34-31 win, courtesy of the infamous “Bush Push.”
The Coaches
Notre Dame’s first-year mentor, Charlie Weis, had gotten off to a good start with his ninth-ranked squad, offering hope that the struggles of the previous eight seasons had ended.