Giving up on having a take about the USC/Notre Dame thing while the question seems to come down to whether USC knew something it should've known or missed it out of someone's incompetence. Ultimate determinant of USC's seriousness is if they reengage with pep in their step after the Playoff expands

It might not! If it got USC up to 11 but ND was 12, for example. however, I take your point about a general USC malaise towards this series, which is why I think a majority of the fault would've lied with them until recent events made it a 60-40 the other way. The faultometer is a breathing document

And right now, ND needs the ACC more than vice versa. Filling out a schedule with quality opponents would be hard as a full independent.