Wins abound again for both the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the USC Trojans.  The wins may have been against inferior opponents, but as the saying goes a win is a win.

We start with the Trojans and Michael’s epiphany about being a fan, expectations, level setting, and the football gods. The USC defense may still give up too many points and Lincoln Riley could still be hard to root for, but that could just be life.

As for the Fighting Irish the conversation meanders toward how should fans feel and what content is appropriate when your team is winning. This higher-level concept is also the vehicle we use to discuss the Notre Dame running backs.

Do not fret, we also bring up our favorite topics. Travis Hunter and UCLA football.

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The post Podcast: Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 12.4 Rutgers and Michigan State Recap appeared first on Tilting Ground.

Another week of football is in the books for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the USC Trojans. Both teams were winners, and they both played inferior opponents.

We start with Notre Dame, and more important than their victory over Rice is that Greg was at the game. He walks us through his weekend, what he did, who he saw, and if Marcus Freeman knows him yet. The Irish beat Rice pretty good so there wasn’t much to learn as we prepare for Michigan State.

The Trojans scored a bunch against Louisiana, but the Ragin’ Cajuns also scored their fair share against USC. Just like with San Jose State, the Trojans won comfortably while giving up too many points. It’s not all bad, USC has a bunch of amazing freshmen who are contributing bunches right away.

We also take a few more shots at Travis Hunter, talk about the best players of our time, forget past national championship details, and list some old Trojans.

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The post Podcast: Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 12.3 Rice and Louisiana Recap appeared first on Tilting Ground.

Week 1 was a doozy. Both Notre Dame and USC played this week and there is no better place to start than with our kids’ sports. That’s right, egregious refereeing doesn’t only take place in college football. Don’t worry though, when we do finish talking about our children playing sports we get straight into the Michigan and their shady time keeping antics. Spoiler alert, it’s an afront to lawful society.

After a lengthy preamble we finally get to our beloved teams. Greg asks how Notre Dame looked in what turned out to be a big win against Wisconsin. Then Michael talks about a solid start to the Trojan season against inferior opponents, and who has caught his eye.

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The post Podcast: Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 12.2 Week 1 Recap Fresno State and Wisconsin appeared first on Tilting Ground.

WE ARE BACK! The powers that be tried to kill the podcast by taking the USC Notre Dame rivalry game away but guess what the game has been rescheduled (for 2030 ) and here we are.

There is only one place to start and that is Lincoln Riley. The city of Los Angeles hates him and so do Greg and Michael. We would say he is polarizing, but again no one likes him. There was football this weekend and USC beat San Jose State. There were good things and bad things about the win. Some of the Freshman starters looked good, while concerns about the defense popped up. Seems like more of the same from the Trojans.

We then switch the focus to Notre Dame. Greg was on campus in the preseason and shares some of his personal personnel analysis. He also gets real and talks about what it’s like to be a fan and get to cover your favorite team. We do some light prep for the season opener against Wisconsin then sign off. Oh, and Travis Hunter catches some random strays.

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The post Podcast: Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 12.1 Season Preview & San Jose State Recap appeared first on Tilting Ground.

The end is here. It’s over. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the USC Trojans canceled the greatest intersectional rivalry in the history of college football today. Emotions were raw as we talked about what happened and how it made us feel. There are no winners today, only losers. No need for a long recap. Just buckle up and come along for the emotional ride.

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The post Podcast: Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 11.7 Rivalry Canceled appeared first on Tilting Ground.

The College Football Playoffs are finally here, and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the USC Trojans have one unfortunate thing in common: neither of them will be participating. Fair warning up front, this episode is Notre Dame heavy. Honestly, it is Notre Dame exclusive. How could it not be when the Fighting Irish were blatantly snubbed from the playoff?

We open the show by checking in on Greg to make sure he’s still emotionally intact after the selection announcement. Once confirmed, we dive straight into the shadowy cabal of college football executives who decided the final playoff field. After reviewing all the angles, conspiracy theories, and backroom smoke signals, we arrive at only one logical conclusion: Notre Dame never had a chance. The system was set up for them to fail.

Naturally, the next move for the Irish was to decline their bowl game invitation. No one likes to look foolish on national television, especially after being disrespected on the biggest stage. Greg and Michael brainstorm a whole buffet of reasons why skipping the bowl makes sense ranging from self-preservation to sending a message to simply avoiding the indignity of meaningless December football. Still, one host of this show consistently plants his flag on the hill of comPETEing. Also, let’s be honest, how do you turn down the only bowl game where tradition dictates you eat the mascot?

From there, the episode wanders into a mix of musings about the playoff itself, early offseason chaos, transfer portal mayhem, and the existential question every fan faces this time of year: what exactly are we supposed to do with ourselves now?

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The post Podcast: Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 11.6 Notre Dame CFP Exclusion appeared first on Tilting Ground.

The regular season has finally drifted to a close for both the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the USC Trojans. On paper, both teams walk away with wins and shiny winning records. But, as the podcast quickly realizes, the gloss doesn’t quite match the grain.

We open with USC, fresh off a 19 point win over their crosstown rival UCLA. A win should feel like a warm coat in late November… yet somehow it feels more like a damp hoodie. Another sluggish start, another game spent wondering what exactly the Trojans are. They finish 9–3, which sounds impressive until you remember that they beat everyone they were supposed to beat and lost to everyone they were supposed to lose to. A predictable season wrapped in the aura of an unpredictable program.

Identity? Still missing. The defense? A roller coaster without the fun. Year four of the Lincoln Riley era ends with the same questions it started with, drifting around like stubborn fog. Maybe things click in the bowl game, but for now, it’s hard to draw a clean silhouette of this team’s future.

Then we pivot to Notre Dame, who handled Stanford the way they handled most of their schedule with a quiet efficiency that occasionally borders on ruthless. The Irish sweep aside the Cardinal, and suddenly the conversation turns toward résumés, perception, and what any of it means in the playoff era. Are they flashy enough? Dominant enough? Loud enough in a sport that rewards spectacle?

There’s a bit of Pitt-bashing for flavor, a dash of Marcus Freeman appreciation, and a good chunk of speculation about how Championship Weekend could open the gates or slam them shut on Notre Dame’s playoff hopes.

Whatever happens, the Irish end the season looking sturdy, the Trojans end the season looking blurry, and the podcast ends the episode sounding like fans everywhere: cautiously hopeful, mildly exasperated, and already hungry for what comes next.

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The post Podcast: Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 11.5 UCLA Stanford Recap CFP Thoughts appeared first on Tilting Ground.

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.

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The post Podcast: Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 11.4 Notre Dame USC Recap appeared first on Tilting Ground.

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.

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The post Podcast: Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 11.3 Rivalry Week appeared first on Tilting Ground.

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:

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.

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The post Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast – Episode 11.2 Early Season Recap appeared first on Tilting Ground.