Statistically, It’s a Toss-Up

Say this much for this year’s underwhelming USC-Notre Dame game, a matchup of losing teams: Statistically, they appear to be evenly matched.

USC is tied for 85th in the nation in points per game, averaging 19.4.

Notre Dame is 87th at 19.2.

The Trojans rank 54th in scoring defense, giving up 23 points a game.

Notre Dame is 57th, allowing 23.2.

One other noteworthy stat: The Trojans are only 3-5 in games against Notre Dame teams with losing records, winning in 1933, ’56 and ’81 and losing in 1959, ‘60, ’63 and ’85 and ’86.

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It’s not only running the ball that is proving difficult for USC. The Trojans’ 100 yards passing against Arizona State last week were the fewest since they managed only 95 in the 1992 Freedom Bowl loss to Fresno State.

Quarterback John Fox, who passed for 355 yards against Nevada Las Vegas the week before, completed only eight of 23 for 70 yards before he was pulled in the third quarter.

Fox insists his sore right ankle is fine, but offensive coordinator Hue Jackson believes it bothered him, even though it has improved recently.

“He’s been hobbling,” Jackson said. “I know from talking to him he’s disappointed and embarrassed by his performance. . . . That’s a hostile environment, really the first hostile environment we’d been in. That could have been part of it or not. Only he knows.

“It was very uncharacteristic. We expect him to be better this week.”

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NEXT FOR USC

Who: Notre Dame

Where: Notre Dame Stadium

When: Saturday, 12:30 p.m.

TV: Channel 4

Radio: KLSX-FM (97.1)