USC has had a wild up and down first year in the Big Ten. Notre Dame needs to be ready for both types of teams.

On Saturday, USC football hosts Notre Dame at the Los Angeles Coliseum in a rivalry game with massive implications. Should the Irish win, they would all but certainly clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff.

No matter the stakes or the personalities involved, the fabled intersectional meeting between Notre Dame and Southern California remains one of the most tantalizing Saturdays on every college football calendar.