Everett Golson and ND will need to pile up some points against FSU. (USATSI)
Everett Golson and ND will need to pile up some points against FSU. (USATSI)

The 86th meeting between Southern California and Notre Dame will take place Nov. 29. (ND leads the series, 45-35-5, and has won the past two meetings). As the two programs progress toward rivalry week, we'll take a weekly look at current trends, and the current state of hostilities, between the Trojans and the Fighting Irish.

Days until game: 45

2014 Notre Dame-USC power index: 1. Notre Dame (6-0); 2. USC (4-2)

Notre Dame last week: The Fighting Irish returned to the theme of "sloppy win against lesser opponent," emerging with a 50-43 win over two-win North Carolina in what was the highest-scoring game in the history of Notre Dame Stadium. ND racked up 519 yards, including 371 from QB Everett Golson (300 passing, 71 rushing), but the defense allowed 511 and had consistent trouble stopping Tar Heels QB Marquise Williams. ''There are many, many things I could delve into, but I would say the thing that points up for me is that our guys know how to win football games," Brian Kelly said after the win.

USC last week: It was very nearly a second straight heartbreak for the Trojans, who watched as a 28-13 lead at Arizona came close to melting away in the final moments. A UA touchdown, followed by a recovered onside kick, put the Wildcats within a 36-yard field goal from sending USC to a second straight loss. But the kick drifted wide right, allowing Steve Sarkisian and Co. to escape with a 28-26 win that puts them at 3-1 in the Pac-12 and in the thick of a crowded conference race.  

Notre Dame this week: at Florida State, Saturday, 8:00

USC this week: vs. Colorado, Saturday, 6:00

Notre Dame storyline: There was a time when this week's trip to Tallahassee looked certain to go poorly for the Fighting Irish, and maybe on paper, that should still happen. But the weekly soap opera surrounding Jameis Winston and the fact that No. 2 Florida State just hasn't been as four-quarters-dominant as expected this season has led to that upset talk not feeling quite so preposterous. If ND springs the win, it will happen without "The Marooned Five." For what it's worth (not that much, really) Notre Dame is 1-16 against top-five teams since 1999, including eight straight losses.

USC storyline: This week will be about achieving consistency, as the Trojans try to post their first consecutive wins since beating Fresno State and Stanford to start the season. The expectation is that the Trojans should be able to handle their upcoming four-game stretch of Colorado, Utah, Washington State and Cal, but after losing to Boston College, they should take nothing for granted. The Buffaloes are 0-3 in the Pac-12 but have been much more competitive in year two under Mike MacIntyre, losing to Cal and Oregon State the past two weeks by a combined eight points. So USC oughta beware. Also, the Trojans are a little banged up. 

Moment in hatestory: October 22, 1977

The Green Jersey Game. This was the one where the embattled Dan Devine, ably portrayed in the film Rudy by character actor Chelcie Ross, woke up the echoes in Notre Dame Stadium by having the Irish change out of their navy blue jerseys in favor of these shamrock green deals. ND routed the higher-ranked Trojans, 49-19, and Dan Devine and his green jerseys got all the credit. Some may have been tempted to assign credit to the Notre Dame quarterback that day -- a skinny nobody named Joe Montana who went on to a career of little note in, check me here, the aluminum siding business? But they're wrong, it was definitely this different-colored fabric that sparked the 30-point win.   

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