USC offensive line vs. Notre Dame defensive front. It has become a tired refrain each week, but it will hold true once again Saturday: If USC wants to have a chance at victory, its offensive line must compete at a high level. The problem is, 11 games in, it still hasn’t happened. Notre Dame’s defensive line will be the best unit that USC has faced this season. If there is any opening, it is in the run game, where the Fighting Irish are just 39th nationally, giving up 137 yards a game. USC must approach that number with running backs Aca’Cedric Ware and Vavae Malepeai to give JT Daniels a chance to pass the ball in manageable down-and-distance situations, and that will all come down to the USC offensive line.
USC-Notre Dame: A look at how the teams match up
