Suffice it to say Notre Dame's tilt with 20th-ranked USC is an elimination game of sorts for the Irish, while the Trojans will have two additional opportunities at garnering a second ranked win the rest of the way after this weekend following their victory over Michigan.

The calendar may say the middle of October, but what we saw and heard Friday felt like the middle of college basketball season for Notre Dame.

Rumors have swirled over the future of the rivalry for the last two years, and both Freeman and USC head coach Lincoln Riley seem in agreement that they want the game to continue. Speaking at B1G media days in the spring, Riley said “I want to play the game. Absolutely. It’s one of the reasons I came here.”

That performance gave Fighting Irish fans flashbacks, seeing the same rugged style that once made Mayer a legend. That type of outing shows that his best NFL days are still firmly in front of him. Opportunity is ultimately going to determine just how good Mayer will be.

With rumors flying that Penn State could go after Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman, we answer which team could actually lure him away from South Bend.

ESPN analyst Greg McElroy explains what has impressed him most about Notre Dame's turnaround during its four-game win streak.