My view: USC will come out fiery. If the ND defense stuffs them anyway, then they will quit. But if they score, well, it's all they've got left that they might brag about, so we'll get a big effort out of them. Diaco will let those short passes happen like he's done all year. USC will gain some yards [if Barkley plays], but our redzone D will probably limit them anyway. We need to play a clean game. USC seems not able to stop a running QB, so Everett needs to do that [and no dumb heave-it-and-hope stuff].
We will grind at them and we will be the power in the second half; we have the in-shape muscle-studs and probably FIVE defensive All-Americans if truth would be honored. I, unlike some, would like to see Kiffin fired. There is nothing that advances your advantage over an opponent than instability in their staff, systems, athlete understanding of details. By the time that they recovered, we'd have established recruiting dominance [along with Oregon and UCLA] in their backyard.
First we need to put a lasso on their offense and just win.
