TrojanSports Roundtable: Staff perspective, predictions for USC-Notre Dame

The Trojans' five toughest games -- against five ranked opponents, including a pair of potential top-10 showdowns in back-to-back weeks -- all come over the final month and a half of the regular season.

USC is 6-0 and ranked No. 10 -- all one could ask for on the surface -- yet it's also understood that it hasn't been a flawless 6-0 and that the Trojans also haven't been tested like they will be almost every week the rest of the way.

Whatever this team is going to be this season, it will start revealing itself starting Saturday on the road at No. 21 Notre Dame (5-2) -- 4:30 p.m. PT on NBC.

"You're playing a good team at their place. I mean, they're a complete team, they're very experienced in a lot of key areas, they've played in some big games already -- it's a good football team, well-coached football team," USC coach Lincoln Riley said of the matchup. "And then I think in terms of kind of the intangible side of it, you've got to handle all parts of this. You've got to handle, we've talked a lot about the road, you've got to handle the intensity and embrace the intensity and excitement of this game and still settle in and go play great ball, you've got to handle the elements and whatever the weather does present. There will be a lot of another fun, unique challenges, but again, rivalry game, that's what it should be like. It's two good football teams, it will be a fun environment and our guys are very, very excited to go play."

The rain forecasted for South Bend on Saturday is supposed to taper off by mid-afternoon, but the temperature will be in the low 50s/high 40s -- certainly the coldest USC has faced this season.

What USC needs more than anything -- well, aside from a win -- is to quell the scrutiny on the defense a little.

Notre Dame has managed just 351, 381 and 298 yards, respectively, the last three weeks vs. Ohio State, Duke and Louisville. As much as USC fans have defensive coordinator Alex Grinch in the crosshairs of their collective ire, Fighting Irish fans aren't all that pleased with new offensive coordinator Gerad Parker, who was promoted from tight ends coach after one season with the program.

This matchup plays to USC's defensive strengths in a lot of ways -- the Irish don't have an overwhelmingly stout offensive line (giving up 5 sacks to Louisville last week) and don't have a reliable downfield passing attack despite a very good QB in Wake Forest transfer Sam Hartman.

The Trojans' strength is its pass rush while they're weak in the secondary. On paper, everything lines up for USC.

But games aren't played on paper, or else the Trojans wouldn't have struggled so badly against Arizona State or been pushed to the brink by Arizona last week.

Grinch and Co. need a strong showing Saturday night, to put it simply.

Because while Riley has limitless confidence in the unit, the outside noise is only going to get louder and louder and louder as long if the defense keeps scuffling.

"I like the job we’re doing there. I think we’re set up to play really well the second half of the season," Riley said of the defense. "And I can promise you, inside these walls, there is no expectation other than to play high-level in the second half of this year.”

The second half begins Saturday night in South Bend -- there is no more runway, it's time for the Trojans to takeoff.

Meanwhile, our TrojanSports.com team covers the top storylines for the matchup and more -- including score predictions -- in our weekly Roundtable:

1. What was your reaction to Lincoln Riley's pointed comments about the perception/misperception of the USC defense this week?

Ryan Young: "First, I get it and he made some valid points, but ... it didn't do him any favors with the fans, only empowering critics further that he has a blind spot for the defensive deficiencies. He's right on a couple fronts. One, I agree that everybody who had already levied their verdict on Alex Grinch was ready to pounce at any and every opportunity to blame him and the decision to retain him. That's true. I also agree that the unit does good things -- tied for first nationally in tackles for loss (57) and tied for fourth in sacks (22). The defense has good series, good stretches, no question. It also continues to have really bad stretches and remains way too susceptible to giving up explosive plays. As much as the sacks and tackles for loss are a product of scheme and coaching, so too are the persistent flaw of this unit. The bad tackling, guys too often out of position, the reason all fans fear this defense being in a third-and-long, knowing the likelihood that the quarterback is going to have a sea of green with which to scramble for a first down or that a receiver will be allowed to set up camp beyond the sticks for an easy first down reception, etc.

"Riley's critics think he doesn't know what is needed on the defensive side, and coming out on the offensive to defend a defense that has clear shortcomings only emboldens those criticisms. The effort that was taken this week to spin the narrative that the defense was the star of the game last Saturday -- after giving up more than 200 yards and 17 points on Arizona's first three possessions, after giving up an immediate long touchdown drive as soon as the Trojans had taken an eight-point lead, after having no answers in overtime until the admittedly clutch plays on the two two-point conversions -- came off very forced. I get it, though -- his defense, his defensive coordinator and his decision to retain Grinch are under constant attack now and he didn't want to add fuel to the fire. I just think he might have anyway with the way he handled it."

Tajwar Khandaker: "To be quite honest, I wasn’t impressed at all. Though Riley is right about some of the areas where the defense has improved and is doing some nice things, it continues to feel as though he refuses to acknowledge the core problems that the group is clearly struggling with. He continues to talk about improvement over the course of the year and how we should be able to see more going forward, but truthfully, this defense does not look much better than it did earlier in the season. The constant deflection of very valid criticisms on that side of the ball is uninspiring. It’s clear that sound tackling and physicality are what’s lacking most of all for this defense, so why is it so hard for him to address that openly? To be sure, we don’t know what the staff’s internal discussions look like, but it’s hard to expect much improvement without clear acknowledgement of the problems in the first place."

Jeff McCulloch: "I understand a head coach defending his constantly attacked defensive coordinator, but at least be honest. I don’t understand why he can’t say the defense hasn’t been good. Everyone knows this defense hasn’t been good. He talks about how bad the run game has been even though it’s been pretty good. Defend your coordinator while giving him some tough love. Lincoln Riley doesn’t do himself any favors when he keeps giving the defense excuse after excuse. Maybe put some pressure on this defense to be better so these questions about their coach go away. If the defense struggles against Notre Dame, he is going to have to give real answers. On the other hand, if this defense steps up and plays four quarters of good football, I’m not sure who will be more excited, Lincoln or Alex Grinch."

2. What's the defensive storyline of the game for USC?

Tajwar: "Whether or not the Trojans defense can stand up against Notre Dame’s run game is the question to consider on that side of the ball. The Irish are averaging a healthy 171 yards per game on the ground, and running back Audric Estime is one of college football’s best, currently ranking third nationally in rushing yardage. Estime brings great explosion and size to the table and could very likely be the most talented runner the Trojans face all year (Bucky Irving at Oregon is the other contender). Though USC’s defensive front has shown itself capable of winning at the line of scrimmage to swarm runs and force tackles for loss, the group’s struggles to maintain gap discipline and to tackle properly have left them prone to giving up big chunk plays on the ground. As a result, they’re currently ranked 90th in the country, giving up 157 rushing yards per game.

"Last season, the defense was unexpectedly able to put together one of its best performances against the run when playing what had been a very strong Irish rushing attack all year, holding their backs to just 77 yards on 19 carries en route to victory. I’m almost certain they won’t be able to replicate that performance, but it will be critically important for the defense to step up and put in an effort similar to it in order to keep down Notre Dame’s offense. The Irish have not been particularly explosive on that side of the ball recently despite Estime’s strong play; if the Trojans can do just enough to keep him from going off, that should give them a window to take control of this game."

Ryan: "Yeah, that's definitely the key. They should have studied the tape of Notre Dame's 33-20 loss to Louisville last week on repeat, as the Cardinals held the Irish to just 44 rushing yards on 28 attempts (1.6 yards per attempt). That included the lost yardage from 5 sacks (something USC does well!), but Estime was kept in check with just 20 yards on 10 carries. Louisville loaded the box, daring Notre Dame to win through the air. That would be a gamble for USC only because QB Sam Hartman is really good (even if the Notre Dame passing attack as a whole is struggling) and because USC's secondary is its weak spot, but it may be worth the risk to get the Irish uncomfortable again and not allow them to control the game on the ground as they desire. They've also had some struggles on the interior of the offensive line, rotating at center and guard last week, so Grinch's aggressive use of the pass rush should suit this matchup."

Jeff: "There are obviously multiple different defensive storylines for this game. You have this defense trying to stop a talent running back in Estime. USC needs the linebacker group to really step up and shut him down. The cornerbacks are going to be challenged by a good quarterback in Sam Hartman. That is going to be the real issue for the Trojans. They have always had trouble defending the pass, while average quarterbacks have big games. They spread the ball around quite a bit so it's not like USC can put their best corner on one player. It's truly going to be a team effort. The matchup I’m personally excited to watch is potential first round pick Joe Alt at left tackle vs. Jamil Muhammad/Romello Height. I’m really curious how they stand up against a top lineman, the best lineman they will have gone against up to date."