AT LAST, SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT STORIED RIVALRY RENEWED TODAY, AND HISTORY IS WATCHING.

Byline: Scott Wolf  Staff Writer

They still sell T-shirts at the USC bookstore with the famous 55-24 scoreboard from the Trojans' victory over Notre Dame in 1974, considered the greatest comeback in school, if not college football, history.

It's taken 28 years, but today's version of the storied intersectional rivalry resembles that classic more than any game between the schools since.

Just as in 1974, USC (9-2) enters this game ranked sixth in the nation. Notre Dame (10-1) is ranked seventh, nearly identical to the No. 5 ranking the Irish held that memorable day.

Will today's game at the Coliseum, with so much on the line for both schools, be considered another gem in the series? Or will it let down a national TV audience as much as in 1988, when the top-ranked Irish dominated the No. 2 Trojans 27-10 in a game that offered little suspense.

This game won't determine the national championship, but it should impact whether the Trojans or Irish are playing in a New Year's Day bowl. And it comes as both programs return to prominence.

``If we are fortunate to beat Notre Dame, I can't imagine anybody playing better football than us in the country,'' USC coach Pete Carroll said.

Although USC has become a bit of a national darling of late, scoring at least 30 points in six consecutive games, the Trojans will have to break a couple of streaks to beat the Irish tonight.

Notre Dame has won three in a row over the Trojans, and Irish coach Tyrone Willingham beat USC three consecutive games at Stanford, including a 21-16 victory over Carroll last year.

``I think it helps (playing them before),'' Willingham said. ``It's not comforting, but it does help.

``I think I've got mixed experiences (at the Coliseum). Some success. Some failures. Seeing the horse run too much, listening to the to band too much. So it's kind of a mixed bag.''

In spite of those streaks, the Trojans are double-digit favorites, thanks to the rapid improvement of USC quarterback Carson Palmer, who basically makes his case for the Heisman Trophy before many Eastern voters in prime time with a 5 p.m. kickoff.

Willingham will see a vastly different Palmer than the one who went 1-2 in three meetings against Stanford. Palmer completed 56 of 98 passes for 633 yards in those games but had five interceptions and one touchdown.

That's a markedly different performance than Palmer's recent run, in which he has 19 touchdowns and two interceptions in his past five games.

``I think it's obvious to anyone that is following 'SC football (that) he is playing absolutely the best football in his career,'' Willingham said. ``I think most would probably say as well as any quarterback that may have ever played there.''

Palmer also has extra incentive: He hasn't beaten Notre Dame since 1998 and holds a special place for the Irish because he verbally committed to the school.

``I was going to commit there my junior year,'' Palmer said. ``I went there for a football camp and fell in love with the campus. Then they told me I needed to bring up my SAT score 100 points. If they wanted me, I thought they could try to get me in.

``That made me mad. After that, I started to look around.''

Palmer signed with USC and engineered the Trojans' last victory over Notre Dame, 10-0 in 1998 when he was a freshman. But Palmer admitted it's hard to remember much from that game.

``It seems like 40 years ago from that Notre Dame game,'' Palmer said. ``I feel like I have been here as long as the President. Looking back, this program has come a long way, this whole team has come a long way.''

One difference between this game and the past five contests in which Palmer flourished could be the level of talent he'll face in the secondary. Notre Dame cornerbacks Shane Walton and Vontez Duff are considered among the nation's best.

They're probably the best corners Palmer has seen since Kansas State, which happened to be his worst game of the season.

But Willingham only noted the success of the Trojans' offense when discussing the matchup this week.

``When you read the level that their receivers are playing at, that Carson is playing at, I mean, it's kind of ... I don't know if we can get anybody to show up. I mean, because they are pretty good.''

Adding more spice to the rivalry, this is the first time the schools are jockeying against each other for a Bowl Championship Series bowl bid. A USC victory could prevent the Orange Bowl from selecting the Irish, and ironically, help vault the Trojans into a position where they might be selected for the trip to Florida.

Orange Bowl officials already have made it clear they prefer Notre Dame - win or lose.

``Would it be fair for USC to be passed over if Notre Dame loses?'' Willingham said. ``Gosh, you make me think about a lot of things I don't want to think about. I will kind of defer on that one.''

At least he's honest. Carroll intentionally played dumb to questions about the BCS implications all week.

``Honestly, it's not my concern,'' he said. ``I realize everyone else does care because everyone wants me to comment on it. That's just the system, and I can't do anything about it. I don't care to try to know about.''

NOTRE DAME at USC

Today, 5 p.m.

TV/Radio: Ch. 7/1150-AM

NO. 6 USC (9-2) vs. NO. 7 NOTRE DAME (10-1)

Kickoff: 5 p.m., Coliseum.

TV/Radio: Ch. 7; 1540-AM, 1090-AM (Spanish).

Series: Notre Dame leads 42-26-5 and has won the past three games. In Los Angeles, the series is tied 17-17-4. The Irish won last year 27-16, the biggest margin of defeat for Pete Carroll at USC.

Injury update: USC - CB Kevin Arbet (foot), OT Joe McGuire (shoulder), TB Darryl Poston (back), TE Scott Huber (hip), LB Aaron Graham (hip), LB Chris Prosser (concussion), CB Ronald Nunn (knee), WR Jason Mitchell (back) and DE Daniel Urquhart (arm) are out. Notre Dame - CB Jason Backstop (arm) is out. NG Cedric Hilliard (knee) and SS Gerome Sapp (knee) are questionable.

Keep an eye on: USC center Derek Graf. With starting center Norm Katnik (sprained ankle) expected to play but not quite at 100 percent, the senior from Agoura could also see playing time. He spent most of the week practicing with the first team. USC wide receiver Mike Williams. He finally is healthy after being below par the past two weeks with a bruised thigh muscle. Williams might face the best cornerbacks he's seen all season in the Irish's Vontez Duff and Shane Walton.

Notre Dame update: No matter what happens today, coach Tyrone Willingham already has the most victories in history for a first-year Irish coach. Notre Dame is going for its first 11-win season since 1993. Linebacker Courtney Watson is a Butkus Award finalist, and cornerback Walton is a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy.

- Scott Wolf

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

(color) A big game from USC quarterback Carson Palmer against Notre Dame today could have an influence on the Heisman voters who will be watching.

Edna T. Simpson/Daily News

Box:

NO. 6 USC (9-2) vs. NO. 7 NOTRE DAME (10-1) (see text)