USC dropped to .500 in 2021 with a 42-26 loss to Utah last week and will take on one of the nation's best teams this weekend. No. 13 Notre Dame (5-1) will host the Trojans on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium. The Fighting Irish are listed as 7.5-point favorites in the latest USC vs. Notre Dame odds at Caesars Sportsbook. The over-under for total points is 59. (See the latest college football lines for all of this week's games on our college football odds page.) Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.

Before you consider making USC vs. Notre Dame picks or college football predictions, you need to see what the SportsLine Projection Model has to say. 

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $3,700 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also enters Week 8 of the 2021 season on a 22-9 run on all top-rated college football side picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen HUGE returns.

The model knows that USC has one of the most dynamic wide receivers in the FBS. Trojans star Drake London ranks second in receptions (64) and fourth in receiving yards (832). He's caught five touchdowns, and only one player can top his average of 138.7 receiving yards per game. The model also knows that Notre Dame's secondary excels at securing takeaways. The Fighting Irish have notched 10 interceptions on the year.

Now the model has simulated USC vs. Notre Dame 10,000 times, and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Over on the total, and it also says one side of the spread hits in 60 percent of simulations. You absolutely need to see it before locking in your own picks.

Who wins the USC vs. Notre Dame matchup on Saturday? And which side of the spread hits in 60 percent of simulations? ... Join SportsLine right now to see which side of the USC vs. Notre Dame spread you need to jump on Saturday, all from the computer model on a 22-9 run on its top-rated college football side picks!