2025 Week 8 Prediction Poll: (20) Southern Cal @ (13) Notre Dame

[Some Irish Bloke]

(20) USC @ (13) Notre Dame
Line: ND -9.5 (open -7.5); ML -340 (odds as of Wednesday at 11:30 AM).
O/U: 61.5
Saturday, October 18, 2025
Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, IN
7:30 PM ET
NBC/Peacock

Votes are public. All votes are final; you may only vote once.
Poll closes Saturday @ 6:40 PM ET

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

I have a sneaking suspicion that ND wins this one by a couple of scores and beats the spread. For one, USC is down to like their 6th string RB and is beat up on the DL, as well. The rain should make it tough to sling the rock all over the place and I trust ND's OL and stable of backs more to grind it out and eventually do damage on the ground. I hope to see plenty of 2RB sets to keep USC off balance, trying to account for both Love and Price. We haven't seen nearly enough of it this year, but in a potentially sloppy rain-game, at night...when is a better time to deploy 22 or 21 personnel?

I like the under here, and ND pulls away in the fourth quarter.

ND 31 - USC 17

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

FLDomer has company this week, as five others got last weekend's NC State prediction correct, joining him at the top at 3.

In total, 31 people got last week's prediction correct, and there are plenty close behind at 2 points at the halfway point of the regular season.

 

[Huntr]

ND, by at least 2 tds.

38-21

 

[rikkitikki08]

ND 31
Spoiled children 20

 

[SDIrishFan]

I think the weather is a factor in limiting the passing games, and possession efficiency, for both teams. I think this ultimately helps ND with our running game vs. their running game. But keeps things closer than they otherwise might have been.

31-24 Irish.

 

[KPENN]

I want blood

 

[Irish Norseman]

The rain is making this hard to predict.

 

[Irish#1]

I want blood

I'll allow it.

Proud to say my streak is intact. I picked Irish 7-13 so pick something else if you want to get it right.

 

[SportsingHard]

I have a sneaking suspicion that ND wins this one by a couple of scores and beats the spread. For one, USC is down to like their 6th string RB and is beat up on the DL, as well. The rain should make it tough to sling the rock all over the place and I trust ND's OL and stable of backs more to grind it out and eventually do damage on the ground. I hope to see plenty of 2RB sets to keep USC off balance, trying to account for both Love and Price. We haven't seen nearly enough of it this year, but in a potentially sloppy rain-game, at night...when is a better time to deploy 22 or 21 personnel?

I like the under here, and ND pulls away in the fourth quarter.

ND 31 - USC 17

All true, but SC has a backup DT who's going to be destroying the NFL someday. It reminds me of when Barry Switzer warned Oklahoma not to hurt Thurman Thomas: "You don't want to see the next man in."

 

[Katzenboyer]

ND 34
SC 28

 

[Green Mountains]

ND 42 - USC 24

Up one touchdown at half time (21 - 14) ..... 2nd half bully ball destroys their will.

 

[Irish Norseman]

I hope this is like Michigan 2019 where the visiting team doesn’t want to be there with the rain and the crowd is buzzing from the weather.

 

[ND87]

I just want everyone to know my picks are consistent and have so far worked.

 

[bobbyok1]

Irish 35
Trojans 24

Irish control the game, SC scores a late TD to make it look closer than it was.

 

[SeekNDestroy]

41-31 Irish.

 

[pumpdog20]

Irish 31
USC 30

Most of my ND defensive analysis are skewed by the first 3 games where we gave up 77%, 114%, & 111% of that opponents' average points per game.

The last three games have been 36%, 21%, 23%. Seems like a trend for the good guys and potentially a blow out, but give me any score where ours is more than theirs.... also fuck USC

 

[KMac151993]

Rain and wind make this game all about the ground game and I like ND's ground game better.

ND 27
U$C 20

 

[InKellyWeTrust]

I think this will be a struggle. Not ready to make a prediction quite yet.

 

[GATTACA!]

35-20 Irish

Freeman goes for it a bunch on 4th once again, wanting to avoid kicking especially in the rain. We actually convert most this time. Price feasts.

 

[thekid33]

38-31 ☘️

 

[Tejas]

I like USC here.

Just kidding. We're gonna beat their ass.

42-21 Irish

 

[Irish du Nord]

41-13 Irish. Statement win. Ash thread title changes once again. "Golden Island" is coined. USC lucky they have a good kicker. Atmosphere is the furthest thing from Santa Monica beach you can imagine.

 

[IrishLax]

ND big points favorite but in wind + heavy rain it neutralizes exactly how we would light up their terrible secondary. USC, on the other hand, uses lots of quick passes which will be less affected.

On top of that, ND's ability to stop the run will take a big hit with Rubio out and Craig done for the season will hurt ND's ability to consistently run block (which is already suspect).

USC 31 ND 21 with two missed field goals and three turnovers for ND.

 

[NDMatt91]

ND big points favorite but in wind + heavy rain it neutralizes exactly how we would light up their terrible secondary. USC, on the other hand, uses lots of quick passes which will be less affected.

On top of that, ND's ability to stop the run will take a big hit with Rubio out and Craig done for the season will hurt ND's ability to consistently run block (which is already suspect).

USC 31 ND 21 with two missed field goals and three turnovers for ND.

Unfortunately, I agree with you. I just don't see us winning this game for the reasons that you mentioned.

 

[GATTACA!]

Smells like bitch in here.

 

[GoldenBoy3]

ND 38 USC 21. Game plays much closer but a late INT leads to a late score

 

[IrishTusker]

I think it is a mistake to make big assumptions about what the weather will be like, and how that will affect the game. We know it won't be 75 and sunny like in LA last year. (By the way, that didn't seem to help ND since USC threw it all over the field.) But I don't think we know it is going to be pouring rain and very windy all game. We'll see. The O/U went down like a point or two, which I believe is consistent with the evidence of the effect of rain on games. Maybe the line will tighten today/tomorrow.

A guy from MGM on the On3 podcast said ND is 15-5-1 ATS in ranked matchups under MF, including 3-0 as multi-score favorites. That's pretty good, although of course we have two Ls this year (we were favored against Miami and A&M). And ND is at home, too.

 

[greyhammer90]

ND big points favorite but in wind + heavy rain it neutralizes exactly how we would light up their terrible secondary. USC, on the other hand, uses lots of quick passes which will be less affected.

On top of that, ND's ability to stop the run will take a big hit with Rubio out and Craig done for the season will hurt ND's ability to consistently run block (which is already suspect).

USC 31 ND 21 with two missed field goals and three turnovers for ND.

ND by 18

 

[InKellyWeTrust]

I don't think we match up well with them and I actually think this USC team is very good. They are very efficient running the ball and we just lost our best interior defensive lineman. The rain will favor short passing and that is USCs mo. If we win, it will be because CJ Carr is him, but he just lost his starting center. I don't think we will be able to outrush them unfortunately. This isn't your prototypical Lincoln Riley team.