As Notre Dame gears up for senior day against Virginia this Saturday, the Irish are focused on making the College Football Playoff. To secure a spot, they need to win their last three games, with the most challenging being the upcoming matchup at USC on November 30.
USC, under head coach Lincoln Riley in his third year, is having a difficult season, currently sitting at 4-5. The Trojans must win two out of their remaining three games against Nebraska, UCLA, and Notre Dame to qualify for a bowl game. In a prestigious program like USC, poor performance isn’t easily accepted, and Riley’s position is becoming increasingly precarious.
Recently, the situation worsened for Riley and USC without even playing a game, as two of their top 2025 recruits switched their commitments. On Wednesday, four-star edge rusher Hayden Lowe announced his move to Miami, despite being from Westlake Village, California, which is close to USC. Lowe was rated as USC’s second-best commitment according to 247Sports.
The following morning brought more disheartening news for the Trojans when Georgia’s Shamar Arnoux declared his commitment to Auburn. Although Arnoux may not have the same level of hype as Lowe, his de-commitment adds to USC’s challenges.
Currently, USC ranks 13th in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings for 2025, boasting 21 commitments with an average prospect grade of 90.91. Notre Dame is closely behind at 14th, with 24 commitments averaging a grade of 90.38.
The rivalry match-up for the Jeweled Shillelagh is set for November 30 in Los Angeles, but the kickoff time is still to be announced.
