Saturday's USC Notre Dame clash represents the biggest moment of Lincoln Riley's tenure with the Trojans, and the stakes couldn't be higher for both programs. After USC's dominant 31-13 victory over Michigan, the Trojans have positioned themselves as legitimate Big Ten contenders and playoff hopefuls.

We break down why this century-old rivalry game could serve as an elimination contest for the 12-team College Football Playoff, with Notre Dame already carrying two losses and USC nursing that painful defeat to Illinois. The analysis covers USC's impressive offensive balance behind quarterback Jade Maiava, who's completing 72% of his passes with 13 touchdowns and just two interceptions, plus the emergence of walk-on freshman King Miller in the backfield after injuries decimated the running back room.

We examine Notre Dame's strengths, including freshman quarterback C.J. Carr (grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr) and dynamic running back Jeremiah Love, who's already thrown three touchdown passes this season. The defensive matchups feature USC safety Bishop Fitzgerald with five interceptions and Notre Dame's opportunistic secondary that's recorded 11 picks.

Plus, we cover the latest Big Ten news including USC's $5,000 fine for playing an injured player and Penn State's unique contract situation with James Franklin's buyout.

Watch to discover our complete game breakdown and why this matchup will shape the playoff picture for both programs.

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