On Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET, 39-year-old Lincoln Riley will stand on one side of Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum; 36-year-old Marcus Freeman the other.
Riley is in his first year as head coach of USC football, having been lured to the Trojans after a strong five-year run at Oklahoma. Freeman is in his first year at Notre Dame, having been promoted from defensive coordinator.
USC is 10-1 and ranked fifth in the country, Notre Dame is 8-3 and 13th. Riley’s club has more to play for this year — a Pac-12 championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff.