abstract
| - The Notre Dame–USC football rivalry is an American college football rivalry game played by the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the USC Trojans, customarily on the Saturday following Thanksgiving Day when the game is played in Los Angeles, or usually on the third Saturday of October when the game is played in South Bend. Notre Dame and USC have traditionally been counted among the elite programs in college football, with each school having won 11 national championships and 7 Heisman Trophies. This football rivalry, which began in 1926, is considered one of the most important in college football, and is often called the greatest intersectional rivalry in college football. Several times, the winner of this series has gone on to win or play for the college football national title. Both schools combined have produced the most national titles (22), Heisman trophy winners (14), All-Americans, College Football Hall of Famers and future NFL Hall of Famers (21) of any collegiate football rivalry series. The rivals account for the highest numbers of players taken in the NFL Draft of any school; USC, with 472 draftees ranks No. 1 and Notre Dame, with 469, ranks second. Also of note is that ND and USC games count for five of the ten most-watched college football games in television history. The teams play for the Jeweled Shillelagh, a trophy that goes home with the winning team each year. Notre Dame currently leads the series 44-35-5, including a 2005 USC victory vacated due to NCAA penalty.
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