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?

Email your listener questions to [email protected]

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 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.

Email your listener questions to [email protected]

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 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.

Email your listener questions to [email protected]

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.

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 [email protected]

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.

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 [email protected]

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.

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 [email protected]

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.

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 [email protected]

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.

The greatest intersectional rivalry in college football is back, and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish have come out on top against the USC Trojans! In this episode, Greg and Michael both share their experiences from being at the game—though not together, they both got to witness an exciting, back-and-forth matchup. Notre Dame took control for most of the game, but USC made it a nail-biter in the fourth quarter. However, back-to-back interception returns for touchdowns sealed the victory for the Irish.

This episode covers it all! From USC’s explosive offense and their deep ball strategy against the Notre Dame defense, to the Irish running all over the Trojans, we break down every key moment. We dive into the pivotal third and fourth quarters, discuss the performances of Maiava, Riley (Lincoln, and Leonard), and take a closer look at the atmosphere and crowd energy at the game.

If you’re a fan of this historic rivalry, you won’t want to miss this fun and energetic recap of a memorable Notre Dame vs. USC clash. Another epic chapter in the rivalry—tune in now!

Email your listener questions to [email protected]

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 10.13 Rivalry Week appeared first on Tilting Ground.

This week on The Untitled Notre Dame USC Football Podcast, we break down another exciting weekend of college football, where both the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the USC Trojans walked away with victories.

First, we dive into the Trojans’ hard-fought win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers. USC entered the game with a new quarterback under center, a change that seemed to bring a fresh energy to the team. While the quarterback switch made waves, the Trojans stuck to their tried-and-true formula—close games. This time, however, they managed to hold on for the win, proving that they can weather the storm when it matters most.

Next, we shift gears to Notre Dame, who faced off against the Virginia Cavaliers. The Fighting Irish had a solid win, but we discuss their ongoing struggles with slow starts, which have made fans nervous. With Army on the horizon this coming weekend, the pressure is mounting for the Irish to start strong from the opening whistle. We also highlight Marcus Freeman’s ability to lead and adjust, pointing to his growth as a coach as he navigates these challenges.

We wrap things up by returning to USC and previewing their upcoming rivalry game against UCLA. Spoiler alert: We’re expecting another gritty, competitive showdown. Based on past performances, it seems like this one will play out much like the others, with the Trojans fighting until the very end.

Email your listener questions to [email protected]

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 10.12 Nebraska and Virginia appeared first on Tilting Ground.

In this week’s episode, we dive into another action-packed chapter of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and USC Trojans saga. While Notre Dame cruises to a dominant victory over the Florida State Seminoles, USC continues to spiral, even when they don’t play! The Trojans were hit hard by a wave of decommits, leaving Lincoln Riley scrambling to maintain momentum. And just when things couldn’t get worse, the program faces sanctions—leaving fans wondering if they can salvage a season that’s slipping away. With Nebraska coming to town and a new quarterback in the mix, can the Trojans bounce back, or is the damage done?

On the flip side, Notre Dame continues to impress with an absolute drubbing of FSU, so much so that even announcers were concerned about the score. The Irish look like a team on a mission, with Riley Leonard improving week by week and their defense stepping up big-time (except for a few early-game hiccups). Are the Fighting Irish on a crash course with the College Football Playoff? We break it all down and preview what’s ahead for both teams as their seasons take crucial turns.

Tune in for a fun, fast-paced recap of the week’s highs, lows, and the burning questions about these two iconic programs. From recruiting drama to playoff hopes, it’s all here, enjoy!

Email your listener questions to [email protected]

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 10.11 Florida State and a Bye appeared first on Tilting Ground.

In this week’s episode, we dive deep into the latest twists and turns for both the USC Trojans and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football teams. After missing a week, we’re back just in time to break down all the drama surrounding the Trojans’ decision to bench quarterback Miller Moss, as well as discuss the state of the Fighting Irish coming off their bye week.

It’s been a tough year for USC, and unfortunately, it just keeps getting worse. After another heartbreaking loss, this time to Washington, the Trojans find themselves reeling from both on-field failures and internal dysfunction. In the fallout from the embarrassing defeat, starting quarterback Miller Moss was benched, a move that has sent shockwaves through the team and the fanbase.

Moss had become the scapegoat for much of USC’s struggles this season, but as we discuss in this episode, he’s far from the only problem. From the very top, head coach Lincoln Riley has faced mounting criticism for his questionable play calling and inability to build a cohesive team. One of the most glaring stats is the fact that USC’s defensive line has failed to register a single sack all season. Yes, you read that right—not a single sack from a defensive lineman in 2024. That’s a crazy stat this late in the season.

Despite the turmoil, there is a glimmer of hope for USC fans. In a move that’s left many wondering if this is the last-ditch effort to salvage the season, freshman quarterback Jayden Maiava has been named the new starter. The hope is that Maiava can inject some energy into the offense. The Trojans have a bye week ahead, which means there’s no immediate opportunity for Maiava to prove himself on the field.

It’s a tough time for USC, and while some are placing blame on Moss, we dive into the deeper issues facing the team and the question of whether head coach Lincoln Riley can course-correct before the season slips away completely.

Meanwhile, across the country in South Bend, things are a lot calmer for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Coming off their bye week, Notre Dame looks poised to continue winning. The Irish have been cruising through their schedule, aside from one minor hiccup earlier in the year. Quarterback Riley Leonard has only improved as the season has gone on, and Notre Dame seems to be firing on all cylinders.

The bye week gave Notre Dame an opportunity to rest, recharge, and evaluate where they are heading into the latter half of the season. It’s clear that the Fighting Irish are one of the more complete teams in college football right now, and as they head into the Florida State game, they’ll be looking to prove they are among the nation’s elite. All eyes are on Notre Dame as they continue their march toward a potential College Football Playoff berth.

In a lighter moment of the podcast, Michael shares his experience attending the USC vs. Rutgers game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. It was an odd week for USC fans—on the one hand, they secured a win against Rutgers, but on the other hand, there was a palpable sense of frustration in the air, knowing that the Trojans’ season wasn’t going quite as planned, but hey the Dodgers won that night, so everyone was happy. It’s a unique experience to be in the stands when your team wins, but the energy is still subdued because of the larger issues at hand.

As always, we’ll continue to keep an eye on both teams as the season progresses. Can USC turn things around with Jayden Maiava? Will Notre Dame continue to roll through their schedule and prove they belong in the playoff conversation? Stay tuned for more updates and analysis on the Fighting Irish and Trojans in next week’s episode.

Be sure to subscribe to our podcast for more coverage on USC and Notre Dame football, and don’t forget to leave us a review if you’re enjoying the show!

Email your listener questions to [email protected]

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 10.10 Washington Recap and a Bye appeared first on Tilting Ground.