Scouting: Notre Dame @ USC

Notre Dame (6-5) at USC (7-4)

When: 7 p.m. Saturday at Los Angeles ColiseumTV: Channel 7; Radio: WLS 890-AMSeries: Notre Dame leads 42-34-5Coaches: Brian Kelly (6-5, first year at Notre Dame, 175-62-2 overall); Lane Kiffin (7-4, first year at USC, 14-10 overall).ND players to watch: Notre Dame junior WR Michael Floyd's prodigious TD streak came to a close last week at Army. In his previous four games, Floyd put up 31 catches for 359 yards and 7 scores. Freshman QB Tommy Rees has hit 59 of 94 passes (63 percent) for 677 yards, 8 TDs and 4 INTs since taking over for the injured Dayne Crist. ILB Manti Te'o (118 tackles), broken nose and all, spearheads a Notre Dame defense that hasn't allowed a TD in 11 quarters. South Sider Darius Fleming leads the squad with 5frac12; sacks and 8frac12; TFLs. K David Ruffer, who has made all 15 field-goal attempts this year, is a Groza Award finalist.USC players to watch: QB Matt Barkley's high ankle sprain might keep him out, so senior Mitch Mustain could get his first start since 2006 while at Arkansas. Barkley owns 2,593 yards and 25 TDs this year, while Mustain has thrown just 34 passes. The Trojans' big weapons are freshman WR Ronald Woods (53 catches, 648 yards, 6 TDs) and senior WR Ronald Johnson (53 catches, 616 yards, 8 TDs). They return kicks, too.The skinny:Because USC's probation prohibits a bowl game, the Trojans must set their sights on symbols such as this rivalry's Shillelagh. USC has won the last eight meetings of this fabled series, but both schools are in transition and this marks the first time since 2001 that neither team enters this game in the AP Top 25. The Trojans have been dreadful defending the pass, so that's a good sign for the Irish. If Mustain plays instead of Barkley, Notre Dame's defense might able to hold on to its touchdown-less streak, which sits at 173 minutes and 48 seconds.Bowl ramifications: If the Irish can finish with a three-game winning streak, they'd look awfully good to the Champs Sports Bowl #8230; which is in its first year with the Big East after a long stretch with the Big Ten. If that doesn't pan out, perhaps a place in the Sun Bowl?He said it: Brian Kelly on the demands of his job (according to the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette): #8220;If I think of all the things that the Notre Dame football coach has to live up to on a day-to-day basis, I'd jump out my window.#8221;