Notre Dame Football: 11 Reasons Why ND Despises USC

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame have several rivalries against hated opponents, but none produce as much vitriol as the annual matchup with the University of Southern California.

There is no team that Notre Dame fans want to see their beloved Irish defeat more than USC.

Those loyal fans love to point out each and every flaw within the football program at USC.

Following are 11 reasons why Irish fans despise the Trojans.

11. The Trojans Aren't the Most Popular Team in Los Angeles

For most of the perennial powers in college football, they are the main attraction in their respective locations.

The same can't be said for USC.

Other teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Dodgers steal much of the spotlight in the city.

Heck, even the city's soccer team, the Los Angeles Galaxy, is relatively popular.

Because USC Football has such stiff competition within its own city, it makes it much more difficult for the program to attract a loyal following.

10. The Marc Tyler Incident

Marc Tyler has not been helping USC in its efforts to clean up the image of the football program after being levied with NCAA-imposed sanctions.

He was spotted by TMZ reporters outside of a nightclub in Los Angeles and jokingly made a few comments about USC paying its players.

Upon hearing about the incident, athletic director Pat Haden and head coach Lane Kiffin made the decision to indefinitely suspend Marc Tyler from team-related activities as well as the first game of the season.

9. USC Football Is Endorsed by Snoop Dogg

The head coaches and administration of each major college football program desire to have positive endorsers of their respective teams.

It's a stretch to say that Calvin Broadus, otherwise known as Snoop Dogg, is a "positive" endorser.

He has a long history of run-ins with the law, which is the last thing USC needs to be associated with.

Hopefully, young Trojan fans don't look up to Mr. Broadus.

8. Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Is an Aging Facility

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum opened on May 1, 1923 and has hosted a vast number of sporting events through the years including USC home football games.

However, the facility is an old one, and despite renovations last year, continues to be a sub-par venue.

The stadium has a capacity of 92,000, but fans seated anywhere near the the "Ring of Honor" are at a horrible angle to watch a game.

7. Location of Campus

While the campus at the University of Southern California may be quite breathtaking, its location is not.

The campus itself is situated in the middle of a rough neighborhood, making it unsafe for students and faculty to venture off campus.

Being a college student myself, I can't imagine having to think hard about leaving the confines of campus.

6. Pete Carroll Is Gone

USC enjoyed an era of tremendous success under former head coach Pete Carroll, who now serves in the same capacity for the NFL's Seattle Seahawks.

Unfortunately for USC fans, the program is in decline largely due to the fact that Pete Carroll bolted for the Seattle Seahawks just in the nick of time.

His sudden departure marked the end of an era for USC, as the program was hit with sanctions from the NCAA.

5. USC Is the Professional Team in Los Angeles

Because Los Angeles lacks a professional football team, USC has no choice but to fill that gap.

Along with that perception comes more hype than the team actually deserves. '

The Trojans have a combined 17-9 record over the past two seasons, far from what fans and boosters expect from a team that has been labeled as LA's professional football team.

4. Lane Kiffin

There's no doubt that Lane Kiffin is one of the most despised figures in college football.

The beginning of Lane Kiffin's demise was after he was fired as coach of the Oakland Raiders after sparring with owner Al Davis.

Lane Kiffin's next move permanently moved him into the position of "most hated" in college football.

After serving as head coach at the University of Tennessee for one season, he left in shocking fashion to take over at USC upon Pete Carroll's departure.

Many are questioning whether Lane Kiffin is the answer for USC as his combined head coaching record at the college ranks is 15-11.

3. The Fanbase Isn't Great

The fact that USC is in the backyard of Hollywood is both a blessing and a curse for the football program.

It gives the team and the school notoriety, but also makes it difficult to attract a loyal fanbase.

The predominant attitude in Southern California, especially in Hollywood, is a very laid back, easy going one that causes many people to not care whether the Trojans are successful.

2. Reggie Bush

Reggie Bush is the reason USC will never again experience the success it did while he was there.

He and his family knowingly and willingly accepted improper benefits in exchange for his services.

While he was certainly a tremendous talent, Reggie Bush will never live down the choices he made while attending USC and playing football there.

1. NCAA-Imposed Sanctions

As mentioned in the previous slide, the Reggie Bush saga pushed USC into murky waters with the NCAA.

The governing body imposed harsh penalties on the program, including two-year ban from bowl games that began last season. 

The Trojans are also out of the running for the Pac-12 championship as deemed by the NCAA.

The football program at USC will never be looked at the same way because of these sanctions.