Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast

Podcast: Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 11.4 Notre Dame USC Recap

Another chapter in this legendary rivalry is complete — and maybe the last for a while if not ever. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish took down the USC Trojans on Saturday in a wet, sloppy showdown. Both teams had their fair share of mistakes, but in the end, the Irish came out on top. We kick things off with the Trojans. Somehow, USC managed to look bad and still show a few flashes of hope. The defense was the main culprit, giving up what felt like a million rushing yards to the Notre Dame offense. And then there’s Lincoln Riley’s play calling — let’s just say it raised some eyebrows in a rainy road game that demanded smarter decisions. As for the Irish, it wasn’t all smooth sailing either. Quarterback CJ Carr had a down night, and the kicking game? Rough. Really rough. But the running backs — Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price — did whatever they wanted, and the defense completely shut down USC’s top weapon, Makai Lemon. In the end, Notre Dame got the win and looks poised for a potential playoff run, while USC… well, their season could go in just about any direction from here. Email your listener questions to tiltingground@gmail.com Click here to find us on iTunes Like us on facebook The post Podcast: Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 11.4 Notre Dame USC Recap appeared first on Tilting Ground.

Podcast: Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 11.3 Rivalry Week

The greatest intersectional rivalry in college football is back — USC vs. Notre Dame. The Trojans are headed to South Bend to take on the Fighting Irish, and both teams come in ranked, desperate to keep their seasons alive. This is what the podcast was built for. You can feel the buzz in the air. Everyone knows about USC’s high-powered offense, but this year, Notre Dame is bringing some serious fireworks of their own. The Irish — usually known for their steady, methodical play — have suddenly become a big-play machine. There’s even a world where we get a CJ Carr vs. Jayden Maiava shootout on Saturday. As the episode rolls on, it’s hilarious to hear the confidence in each host slowly crumble. One minute it’s “Notre Dame by 20,” the next it’s “Well, if USC can just hang around…” It’s pure fandom at its best — hope, doubt, delusion, and passion all rolled into one. Rivalry week reminds us why we love this sport so much. Email your listener questions to tiltingground@gmail.com Click here to find us on iTunes Click here to find us on Stitcher Like us on facebook The post Podcast: Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 11.3 Rivalry Week appeared first on Tilting Ground.

Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 11.2 Early Season Recap

In this week’s Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast, Michael (long-time USC fan) and Greg (Notre Dame expert) swap takes on how both programs are doing 3 weeks into the 2025 season. The tone is equal parts excitement and concern—USC is showing flashes, Notre Dame is under more scrutiny—especially on defense. Greg was at the Texas A&M game in South Bend, and though tailgates were subdued, once the action started, the crowd was electric—“one of the loudest ever” at Notre Dame Stadium. The final play loss stung heavily. Emotions ran high. The defense, historically a point of pride, is lagging. Key issues: Zone vs. man confusion — in the first half vs Texas A&M, the zone scheme got shredded (161 yards allowed on few attempts). They switched to more man-coverage in the second half with better results, but perhaps too late. Lack of pass rush — almost zero pressure, very few sacks. The front seven haven’t generated enough disruption. Inconsistency & sloppy play — breakdowns at crucial moments (missed tackles, penalties, confusion) make big games difficult. Offense showing promise but not perfection With a new QB and a heavy run game mix, ND has put up decent numbers: 33 points vs Texas A&M, strong ground yardage, and some explosive plays. But there are moments of “what am I watching” with odd play calls or slow reads. The hosts debate who’s to blame: DC Chris Ash versus Marcus Freeman. Freeman is viewed as overseeing the program, but hasn’t historically been deeply involved in the defensive play-calling. Chris Ash, though with past experience, hasn’t yet shown game plans or adjustments that stick. If things don’t improve, speculation suggests changes may be coming. Greg predicts a Notre Dame win vs Purdue but expects more points given up. The upcoming game is framed as a chance to right the ship. Michael projects a 38-17 ND victory. Consistency is stressed as the key. USC’s State of Play – Upside with caveats USC is 3-0, which looks good on paper. But Michael expresses reservations: the wins are sometimes deceptive, especially against weaker competition. The “50-50 balls” and risky throws are working now—but will they hold up when the competition stiffens? Jayden Maiava is serviceable, with moments of brilliance, but also questionable decisions. Receivers like Jacoby Lane, Makai Lemon are showing talent. The run game has seen solid contributions, though there are concerns about whether those runs will translate vs stronger defenses. Players like Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders get praise. Penalties bark loud for the defense: hands to the face, mental errors, open receivers. USC’s defensive line is generating some sacks, especially vs lesser teams, but the secondary has had breakdowns; safety play particularly is under scrutiny. USC has an upcoming 8 p.m. kickoff vs Michigan State. The general tone: they should win, they are favored (line at ~17.5), but the question is how cleanly. Michael trusts they’ll cover; Greg seems less worried. The matchup is seen more as a test of USC’s ability to avoid letting sloppy play bite them. Email your listener questions to tiltingground@gmail.com Click here to find us on iTunes Follow us on Spotify Like us on facebook The post Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 11.2 Early Season Recap appeared first on Tilting Ground.

Podcast: Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 11.1 2025 Season Preview

The 2025 season has arrived for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the USC Trojans. As college football kicks off, so does a decade of excellence for our podcast. And there’s only one place to begin: the greatest intersectional rivalry in the history of the sport. The annual matchup between Notre Dame and USC—the very inspiration for this podcast—still hasn’t been renewed. Greg believes Notre Dame should walk away from the negotiating table, while Michael is calling the USC brain trust cowards for dragging their feet. Needless to say, emotions are running high. We then turn our focus solely to USC. Expectations are modest for Michael. Most of last year’s 7–6 squad returns, but it’s hard to know what to expect. There’s real excitement around transfer running back Waymond Jordan and Makai Lemon, but beyond them, the roster is full of question marks. Greg reminds us that USC hasn’t won a game in the Central Time Zone since before this podcast even began. Defensively, the Trojans still lack havoc plays—especially sacks. If this unit is going to succeed, Eric Gentry must stay healthy. Fortunately for USC, Missouri State is on the schedule this weekend—an obvious win and a straightforward way to notch their first victory. We close by shifting to Notre Dame. The big story is the quarterback competition. Greg thinks Marcus Freeman may have chosen the wrong starter in CJ Carr, though he trusts Freeman to make a change if things don’t start strong. The rest of the roster looks loaded with quality starters across the board. Defensive end Bryce Young could be a breakout star in a stacked position group, and Greg is especially excited about freshman safety Tae Johnson. Somehow, it takes us until the end of the preview to get to the team’s best player: Jeremiyah Love. Spoiler alert—he’s really, really good. Before we sign off, we look ahead to Notre Dame’s trip to Miami this weekend. Both of us agree the Irish are favorites for a reason. If Miami manages to keep it close, Notre Dame has the toughness to slug it out, and key losses on the Hurricanes’ offense should help the Irish defense keep them in check. Email your listener questions to tiltingground@gmail.com Click here to find us on iTunes Click here to find us on Stitcher Like us on facebook The post Podcast: Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 11.1 2025 Season Preview appeared first on Tilting Ground.

Podcast: Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 10.14 Indiana Recap, Georgia and Las Vegas Bowl Preview

Happy Holidays everyone! It’s been a while, but we are back. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish won a college football playoff game, and the USC Trojans are gearing up for the Las Vegas Bowl. Before we get into football we talk about the holidays, Michael’s trip to USC, Sandwich meats, and what kids eat. We start football talk with Notre Dame’s CFP win over Indiana. The Irish pretty much dominated the game, making Indian look like they didn’t belong in the playoff. This leads to a rousing discussion about the teams that made the college football playoff and who was deserving of the bid. Getting back to the game we praise Jeremiyah Love and chuckle at Curt Gignetti’s scared coaching. We move on to Notre Dame’s next playoff game against Georgia. Its lucky for the Irish to get Georgia’s backup quarterback but they are still a very good team. Notre Dame loses Rylie Mills for this game, which is not ideal, but they are built for close games regardless. Finally, we end on the Trojans and their Las Vegas Bowl game against Texas A&M. The fun part of this game is, with all the players leaving USC for the transfer portal, it’s unclear who will actually be playing in the game. All the random players hitting the field for USC will be exciting. The game itself almost doesn’t matter. Email your listener questions to tiltingground@gmail.com Click here to find us on iTunes Follow us on Spotify Like us on facebook The post Podcast: Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 10.14 Indiana Recap, Georgia and Las Vegas Bowl Preview appeared first on Tilting Ground.