TROJANS LOOKING TO CHANGE THEIR LUCK AGAINST THE IRISH.

Byline: Scott Wolf Staff Writer

If you need to know how difficult it's been for USC to win in South Bend, just look at former Notre Dame coach Gerry Faust.

He's viewed as a failure during his five seasons and one of the worst modern-day coaches in Irish history. But even Faust went 2-0 against USC at Notre Dame Stadium.

And he's hardly alone.

Since 1981, the Trojans are 1-9 in South Bend, with only a last-minute field goal in 1997 keeping USC from going entirely winless for more than 20 years in South Bend.

``The two toughest places to go on the road are Russia and Notre Dame, and not necessarily in that order,'' ESPN analyst Beano Cook said.

But on a serious note, Cook added: ``They have the material. That's why it's a tough place to win. That's their mystique. The talent. Before the season started, Notre Dame had 43 players in the NFL. Miami had 40.''

Whatever the reason, South Bend tends to bring out the worst in the Trojans. Some losses stand out for their uniqueness and continue to gall USC players and fans.

--In 1989, USC lost 28-24 in a game remembered for a halftime brawl in the tunnel and a controversial spot on a second-half pass from Todd Marinovich to Scott Galbraith that cost the Trojans a first down.

--In 1991, former USC coach Larry Smith ran onto the field protesting an official's call that Notre Dame recovered a Trojans onside kick during the Irish's 24-20 victory.

--In 1999, USC blew a 24-3 third-quarter lead and lost 25-24 as Notre Dame scored the game-winning touchdown with 2:41 remaining.

Perhaps the most memorable play of that game was Notre Dame fumbling near the USC goal line and the ball going through Trojans safety Ife Ohalete's hands before the Irish eventually recovered and took the lead.

``There's definitely a weird aura about that place,'' USC quarterback Brandon Hance said. ``They have all that tradition. If you let your guard down, it can be a negative. I think a lot of that comes from a lack of confidence in yourself or your play.''

Even though Hance never played at Notre Dame with USC, the former Purdue quarterback has his own Irish nightmare. In 2000, Purdue lost 23-21 on a last-second field goal.

``I think it's a tough place,'' Hance said. ``There's all the mystique going on.''

Hance isn't the only one with a negative memory. USC assistant coach Brennan Carroll, the son of USC coach Pete Carroll, played at Pittsburgh and offers his own hard-luck story.

``We were going for the lead and fumbled on the 1-yard line and they went 99 yards for a touchdown,'' Brennan Carroll said. ``It wasn't supernatural or anything, but if you let it be intimidating, it will be.''

Even Pete Carroll isn't immune, with his infamous fake-punt disaster two years ago quickly turning a 13-3 lead into a 27-16 loss, the worst in Carroll's two-plus seasons.

That loss was almost Faustian in nature, since it came during Bob Davie's last season, when he went 5-6. Oh yes, the generally hapless Davie was 2-1 against USC in South Bend.

That 27-16 defeat is something the current Trojans haven't forgotten.

``They take care of the home field,'' USC defensive tackle Shaun Cody said. ``They did a good job against us.''

Traveling to South Bend is more significant to Cody than most players, because he selected USC over Notre Dame.

``It means more to me. Pullman (Wash.) doesn't have the same aura as Notre Dame football,'' Cody said. ``I'm pumped up.''

Cody said Notre Dame Stadium has other advantages besides the nearby landmarks such as the Golden Dome and the Touchdown Jesus mural.

``I remember the extra-long grass on the field,'' Cody said. ``It looked like it was blowing in the wind.''

Perhaps mindful of the endless traditions associated with Notre Dame, Carroll is clamping down this year compared to his visit two years ago. This time, the Trojans won't visit the College Football Hall of Fame and today will only participate in a short walk-through inside the stadium.

``I think I probably gave the guys too many opportunities to see what's going on,'' Carroll said. ``We're not doing it anymore.''

It's difficult not to be in awe of the surroundings for a first-time visitor, and even Carroll personally fell prey to the aura of Notre Dame Stadium as he walked onto the field during warm-ups.

``What I remember is talking to (former USC assistant coach) Marv Goux on the phone as I went through the tunnel, that was a pretty special moment,'' Carroll said. ``I was really blessed with a relationship with Marv Goux that really presented the whole game to me for the first time.

``I remembered Marv's story about the first time he took the field and I tried to relive that and had Marv on the cell phone the first time I did it.''

But Carroll doesn't attribute USC's lack of success to the ``luck of the Irish.''

``It was fun to be there,'' he said. ``We got outplayed. We've got to go back there and just play.''

USC vs. Notre Dame

Saturday, 11:30 a.m. Ch. 4

SOUTH BEND BLUES

USC is 1-9 at Notre Dame since 1981. Here's a look at the year-by-year results:

Year - Winner - Score - Comment

1983 - Notre Dame - 27-6 - Irish start 13-year unbeaten streak over USC.

1985 - Notre Dame - 37-3 - Faust breaks out green jerseys eight years later.

1987 - Notre Dame - 26-15 - Larry Smith fares no better than Ted Tollner.

1989 - Notre Dame - 28-24 - Trojans still sore over infamous first-down spot.

1991 - Notre Dame - 24-20 - Controversy over who recovered onside kick.

1993 - Notre Dame - 31-13 - John Robinson back but results are same.

1995 - Notre Dame - 38-10 - Fifth-ranked Trojans get ambushed.

1997 - USC - 20-17 - John Fox leads comeback in final minutes.

1999 - Notre Dame - 25-24 - Paul Hackett blows 21-point lead.

2001 - Notre Dame - 27-16 - Trojans' fake punt turns into disaster.

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SOUTH BEND BLUES (see text)