As USC football prepares for a season-defining game at Indiana, one very interesting plot twist has emerged: A former Notre Dame head coach picked the Trojans to beat Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers. Brian Kelly, now a commentator for CBS Sports, knows what it's like to coach in the state of Indiana. He recently said on air that Lincoln Riley's Trojans will go into Bloomington and win.
This is not an earth-shaking story which possesses overwhelming significance, but it's a story worth noting because it's so fascinating on multiple levels. Brian Kelly had the upper hand over and against USC in most of the years he coached Notre Dame. Why is he trusting USC now? Notre Dame and Indiana fans had a very spirited argument before and after the Fighting
Irish's victory over the Hoosiers in the 2024 College Football Playoff. Notre Dame finished as the 2024 runner-up. 2025 Indiana, under Curt Cignetti, went one step beyond the Irish and won the national championship.
Brian Kelly has no real reason to pick games for any reason other than he sincerely thinks one team will beat the other, but it's notable that he would trust USC and distrust Indiana. Both schools' fan bases don't like Notre Dame. It is simply interesting to wonder why Kelly is pivoting to the Trojans and away from the Hoosiers. Is there any underlying emotional reality which might have nudged Kelly in the direction of USC? Let's keep in mind that Kelly wants to return to coaching. Is his USC pick in any way motivated by how he sees the coaching carousel or the national landscape? We'll never know the answers, but the questions are legitimately interesting.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Former Notre Dame head coach picks USC to beat Indiana
