The USC Trojans have been one of the most consistent teams in the 2022 college football season. They are 8-1 so far, with their only loss coming against the Utah Utes, who once were in the AP top 10. The Trojans are in a good position to be in the Pac-12 Championship Game, but they want more.

USC has hopes of making it into the College Football Playoff or at the very least a bid to one of the New Year's Six bowls. Currently at No. 8, the Trojans have a tough path, but they are potentially receiving some help from Notre Dame in the quest of rising in the rankings.

The Fighting Irish started the season on a bad note, losing their first two games. Since then, they are 6-3 and made their first appearance in the CFP rankings at No. 20 after a 35-14 upset over then-No. 4 Clemson Tigers.

Here are two reasons USC is helped by Notre Dame entering the College Football Playoff Top 25.

2. Notre Dame lost to Stanford

The Fighting Irish seem to be back on track since starting the season with losses to Ohio State and Marshall. The only other hiccup they had was a 16-14 loss at home to the Stanford Cardinals in Week 7. Stanford was coming off an 11-game losing streak against FBS teams, which did not look good for Notre Dame.

While it might sound a bit disconnected from USC's rise in the CFP rankings, this loss is actually a good sign for the Trojans.

So far in 2022, USC has no wins against ranked teams. The only time the Trojans played one, they ended up losing on a one-point game to the then-No. 20 Utah Utes. Because of the weaker schedule compared to other schools, any win versus strong opponents could give a little boost to their reputation.

Earlier this season, USC defeated the Cardinals 41-28 on the road. A Heisman contender, quarterback Caleb Williams had one of his best games of the season. He went 20-for-27 for 341 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions.

With Notre Dame joining the top 25 even after a loss to Stanford, this gives even more value to the Trojans' win. As the Cardinals will face No. 12 Utah this weekend, they could help even more USC's case for a higher spot in the rankings.

1. This could give USC a win versus a ranked team

As it was previously mentioned, USC is lacking wins against ranked teams. On Nov. 19, the Trojans will face the UCLA Bruins in the Rose Bowl. The Bruins are currently No. 12 in the CFP rankings, meaning this could be USC's first win versus a top-25 opponent.

Now, with Notre Dame entering the CFP rankings, this means the Trojans will have back-to-back opportunities to earn a win against a top-25 school. Should USC win both games, they could jump in the rankings and almost guarantee a place in the top 10, as long as they do not lose in a blowout fashion in the Pac-12 Championship Game to the Oregon Ducks.

With TCU and Alabama having tough matchups in the next three weeks, it would be possible for both to end up losing a game or two. If USC goes 3-0, the Trojans could surpass both the Horned Frogs and the Crimson Tide and be one of the first two teams out of the CFP.

Notre Dame in the top 25 is indirectly helping USC, but once they have their head-to-head contest to wrap up the regular season, this could skyrocket the Trojans' stock.