Preview: USC vs. No. 14 Notre Dame

After a turbulent week caused by a leave of absence and the ultimate firing of coach Steve Sarkisian, USC must play 14th-ranked Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., on Saturday.

Athletic Director Pat Haden chose offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Clay Helton as interim coach. Helton also coached USC to victory in the 2013 Las Vegas Bowl when Ed Orgeron left the program after he was interim coach in the wake of Lane Kiffin’s firing.

USC is 3-2 overall and 1-2 in the Pac-12 South.

The Trojans are coming off a 17-12 upset by Washington.

Notre Dame is 5-1 after defeating Navy last week, 41-24.

Helton will be the fourth coach to lead USC against the Fighting Irish in the past four seasons. Kiffin was coach in 2012, Orgeron in 2013 and Sarkisian in 2014.

Notre Dame has won three of the past five meetings.

Questions or comments about USC? Email me at LNThiry@gmail.com or tweet @LindseyThiry and I will respond to select messages in a weekly USC Now mailbag.