This Game Has Been Around the Bend Before : College Football: The USC-Notre Dame game is steeped in tradition. And in the last six years, tradition has been going the Fighting Irish’s way.

Quick, name L.A.’s greatest sports rivalry.

Lakers-Celtics? Dodgers-Giants? Rams-49ers?

If tradition and numbers are the yardsticks, you’re not even in the ballpark.

Try USC-Notre Dame.

In 1931, Notre Dame, undefeated for 26 games and never beaten in South Bend by the Trojans, was leading USC with a minute to play.

Enter Johnny Baker, who kicked a 33-yard field goal to pull out a 16-14 victory at South Bend.

When the triumphant Trojans returned to Los Angeles, they were given a parade attended by 300,000 fans.

With major league sports still decades away from Los Angeles, USC football was king.

And the Fighting Irish were the arch-enemies of the realm.

When Notre Dame and USC met at Chicago’s Soldier Field in 1927, the crowd was 120,000. Two years later at the same site, they drew 112,912.

In 1947, the teams played before the largest college football crowd in Coliseum history, 104,953. In all, they drew four Coliseum crowds that topped 100,000 and another of nearly 98,000.

Big crowds. Crucial games. Memorable moments.

They have met 60 times, with Notre Dame holding the edge, 33-23-4.

The names have changed through the years, but the stakes have often been the same--a national championship.

When the Trojans face the Fighting Irish today at 12:30 p.m., PDT, at Notre Dame Stadium, they’ll be up against the defending national champions, a team that is undefeated this season at 6-0, has won 18 in a row and has beaten USC six consecutive times.

The Trojans have won five games in a row since losing on opening night to Illinois. That has placed them ninth in the rankings, but any hopes of still rising to the top this season would be ended if they don’t win today.

“When I first came to Notre Dame,” Irish Coach Lou Holtz said, “Everybody told me this is the game. When I asked why, nobody could tell me.

“But if you study the history of the game, it’s fantastic. There have been great games and great athletes. It’s been the best in the West versus the best in the East. When you think about the things that have happened in this series, you have to be excited.”

Holtz doesn’t have to go very far to see the influence of the Trojans here. There are eight large action photos on the wall in the sports information office at Notre Dame. Five of those photos were taken in games against USC.

And in USC’s Heritage Hall, they still speak in hushed tones of that magical day 15 years ago when the Trojans made one of the great turnarounds in college football history.

In the USC football guide, the game, referred to as The Comeback, merits its own page.

Down 24-0 late in the first half at the Coliseum, USC wound up scoring six points before intermission, 35 in the third quarter and routed the Irish, 55-24. Anthony Davis scored four touchdowns for the Trojans that day.

But all that is ancient history. The names today are Ricky and the Rocket, Rice and Ryan.

Never mind past glories. All today’s Trojans can remember is that they have never beaten the Irish.

USC defensive back Mark Carrier calls it “unfinished business.”

The chances of taking care of that business today seem to hinge on two key questions:

--Can the Trojan defense, No. 1 in the nation against the rush, knock Notre Dame’s Raghib (Rocket) Ismail and his teammates off course, forcing them to give up the ground game they cherish?

--Can USC quarterback Todd Marinovich, a redshirt freshman playing in just his seventh game, perform on a national stage against the national champions?

“You’ve just got to keep doing what you’re doing and don’t give him a lot to think about,” USC Coach Larry Smith said.

“They (the Irish) will either really come after him and play a lot of man-to-man. Or they may play a lot of combination coverages and try to confuse him. No question he will be a focal point of their defensive plan.”

USC had its finest rushing effort of the season last week against California, with tailback Ricky Ervins and fullback Leroy Holt gaining more than 100 yards apiece.

The Notre Dame defense up front is led by linebacker Ned Bolcar, who has a team-leading 55 tackles; tackles Bob Dahl and Jeff Alm, and nose tackle Chris Zorich. In the secondary, there is cornerback Todd Lyght, who leads the club with five interceptions.

As for the Trojan defense, Holtz, always ready with a compliment for the opposition the week of a game, just shakes his head at the USC defensive line, No. 1 in the nation against the rush. Led by Tim Ryan, Dan Owens, Junior Seau and Scott Ross, the Trojans have surrendered an average of just 36.7 yards a game and have yet to allow a rushing touchdown.

“We have a pretty good offensive team,” Holtz said, “and they stopped us completely last year. We have never had a team dominate the way they did to us.”

Keep in mind now, this comes from the winning coach in last year’s battle for No. 1, although it is true that some of the points the Irish scored in last season’s 27-10 victory over USC resulted from turnovers.

“They (the Trojans) are giving up something like 1.6 yards a run,” Holtz said. “Even I could afford to buy that much property in Manhattan. You don’t break anything like six tackles against USC. You usually break two ribs.

“So, we are going to have to throw. And I’ve got to be honest with you, throwing is not our strong suit.”

Don’t let it get you down, Lou. Larry doesn’t think your team is that bad.

“The run is the heart and soul of their offense,” Smith said, “but they’ll throw the ball, too.

“Last year, they opened up on our two-yard line and boom, right over our heads (a 55-yard pass from Rice to Ismail).

“They’re smart. They combine the run and the pass very well. They’ve got it all. They run like eight or nine different options.”

To man this high-tech attack, the Irish have quarterback Tony Rice, a 60.3% passer with 738 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions plus an additional 436 yards and two touchdowns on the ground; tailback Ricky Watters, who has rushed for 319 yards, compiling a 5.3-yard average per carry, and five touchdowns, and fullback Anthony Johnson, who has run for 333 yards and eight touchdowns.

And they have the Rocket.

Already a game-breaker as a kick returner and an excellent receiver, Ismail has been adding to his resume recently. He returned a punt for a touchdown last week against Air Force and is beginning to play tailback. “When you score a touchdown, you’re happy about it,” Smith said. “But then, there is the sad part. You have to kick off to Ismail. And that’s like looking down the barrel of a cannon.”

But that’s old news in this rivalry. The Irish have been taking their best shots at USC for a long time. And they haven’t missed in six years.

Trojan Notes

Thursday’s snowfall turned to showers Friday. The prediction is for clearing skies today with temperatures in the 40s. . . . USC receiver John Jackson and defensive lineman Randy Hord are suffering from sprained ankles. Jackson is probable, Hord questionable. . . . Running back Aaron Emanuel made the trip despite a shoulder injury but is only listed as possible. . . . Running back Scott Lockwood, who has a dislocated thumb, was left home.