Rockne's Roundtable

Win this game and you're guaranteed a spot in the National Championship. That there is some motivation.

MinnyGriff08,

Many people have called me "unfathomable." I don't think it's supposed to be a compliment.

But yes, this has all the earmarks of a "wounded animal" game. It becomes even more dangerous when you have USC's ridiculous talent level. Here's what I wrote in the "What We Learned" column after the win over Wake Forest:

We have often stated that whenever Notre Dame enters a significant big-game atmosphere, it is preferred that the Irish had played not so well the previous week while their opponent that next week had won a blowout.

An example came earlier this season versus Oklahoma, when Notre Dame had to scratch and claw to a 17-14 victory against BYU a week earlier, while the Sooners were demolishing their foes the previous weeks by scores of 52-7 (Kansas), 63-21 (Texas) and 41-20 (Texas Tech). An “off” game can create a sharper edge and urgency for Notre Dame, while the opponent might have a false sense of confidence with huge victories.

Entering USC, Notre Dame is coming off its third 35-plus points victory this season. The Irish then found themselves holding on for dear unbeaten life the next two weeks. The 50-10 opening game win against Navy was followed with a hard earned 20-17 victory at home against Purdue in which reserve quarterback Tommy Rees had to come to the rescue on the final, game-winning drive.

The week after the 41-3 obliteration of Miami, Notre Dame had to rally in the fourth quarter to tie Stanford, and then make a valiant goal-line stand in overtime to clinch the victory.

Meanwhile, the Trojans, a pre-season national title favorite, lost their fourth game (38-28 to UCLA). Who would have thought back in August that USC would be 7-4 entering this contest while unranked Notre Dame would be 11-0? It was “supposed to be” reversed.

Therein is the beauty of athletics. The games still have to be played, victory has to be earned and there are no entitlements. That’s why one better beware that in the same way Notre Dame had Oklahoma exactly where it wanted them, USC might be facing a similar situation with Notre Dame.

Lest we forget, USC was only 6-3 in 1964 when it upset No. 1 Notre Dame. In 1970, the 5-4-1 Trojans were coming off a 45-20 thrashing from UCLA when it stunned 9-0 Notre Dame, 38-28. The 1980 USC team had lost two in a row (including UCLA) before vanquishing No. 2 and 9-0-1 Notre Dame, 20-3.

What if Matt Barkley is out? Sometimes that can galvanize a team … not unlike the suspension of leading rusher and leading receiver Tony Brooks and Ricky Watters prior to the 1988 showdown between 1 vs. 2. The Irish still won.

This game will come down far more to heart and what’s between the ears than Xs and Os and pure talent. Either USC will come in as the proverbial dangerous, wounded animal, or it might have checked out emotionally and will go through the motions once it gets down.

On a side note, Minny, if I really knew who was going to win, I wouldn't have to work for a living.

And this ^^^ to me is worth repeating.

I have always liked teams(not just ND) or players coming of of bad games or against those coming off good ones. Back to the whole "save some points for next week" like of thinking. No, of course they are independent events, but history doesnt back that up always.

Im worried about this new QB, he sounds very talented. If he's been chomping at the bit for playing time this year or, say, eager for the arrival of Max Browne to show him his place to the bench, then I'm doubly worried. USC is almost desperate to save their season and 2013 recruiting class. CLKiffin has his back to the wall. If they go into a long December 7-5, they could lose some recruits and his foothold there. I'm worried about SI putting us on a cover. I'm worried the line is a little too low. But, dont mind me, I just worry.

Man, this one is gonna be intense for us.