updated 7:43 p.m. ET Nov. 28, 2008

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - When it comes to college football’s signature team, there’s really little question.

Love ’em or hate ’em, Notre Dame is the gold standard, and we’re not talking about those helmets. More national titles than anyone else, more first-team All-Americans and a richer history than some countries. Knute Rockne, the Gipper, the Four Horsemen, its own TV network, Notre Dame even has Jesus — Touchdown Jesus, that is.

But the Irish haven’t been a factor in the national title race for well over a decade, and are struggling mightily (again). Last weekend, they lost to a Syracuse team so woeful it had already fired its coach.

Now Notre Dame comes face to face with the only program that could threaten its grip on the title of America’s favorite team. In what is one of college football’s longest-running and most storied rivalries, No. 5 USC hosts the Irish on Saturday night.

“Right now, USC is really in their glory days, the best they’ve ever had,” said Tom Lemming, recruiting analyst for CBS College Sports. “And they’ve had some good ones.”

Before all you folks in Texas, Florida, Idaho, Oklahoma and Ohio start squawking, look at the numbers.

Since 2002, no team has a better record or winning percentage than USC, according to STATS Inc. The Trojans have two national titles during that span, and have finished no worse than fourth the other years. A Trojan has won three of the last six Heisman Trophies, and the NFL Network dubbed USC the No. 1 “football factory” earlier this year.

And USC does all this in climate-controlled La-La Land, the epicenter of all things hip and cool. Regis Philbin and Matthew McConaughey just can’t compare with Will Ferrell, Henry Winkler, Alyssa Milano and George Lucas.

Yes, the Irish might be a team for the ages, but USC is the team of today.

“I definitely think we’re on that same level — maybe not quite the following, but both schools are rich in tradition, national championships,” said Carson Palmer, the 2002 Heisman Trophy winner who now plays for the Cincinnati Bengals.

“But I think they’ve lost some of that flair, and definitely for the younger generation. When kids think of picking a college they’ve always dreamed about going to, Notre Dame is rarely said just because they haven’t had success lately.”

Much like the New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys, Notre Dame has always had an appeal that stretches far beyond its geographic boundaries.

As the country’s premier Roman Catholic university and a school that boasts immigrant pride in its nickname, Notre Dame has a built-in following of faithful who’ve never even set foot on campus. As the last of the big-name independents, its diverse schedule attracts fans from all corners of the country. Its long-running contract with NBC only adds to that, giving the Irish more exposure than those kids from “The Hills.”

Almost from the time it began playing, Notre Dame has been college football’s dominant program. The Irish have 11 national titles and 12 perfect seasons, and once went 39 games without a loss (they did tie twice). Their list of former players and coaches reads like a Who’s Who of football history.

Even people who hate the Irish can’t help but pay attention to them, if for no other reason than to root against them.

“You can say every game’s the same. But when you play Notre Dame, it’s not the same,” Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich said after the Eagles shut out the Irish earlier this season.

“It doesn’t matter how they’re doing, or what their record is; they’re still Notre Dame. They’re still America’s team.”

Added former Irish coach Ara Parseghian, “Even with a down cycle, Notre Dame commands an awful lot of interest and respect.”

And no question about it, Notre Dame is in one of those down cycles. A big one.

Notre Dame hasn’t won a national title since 1988, its longest drought in, well, pretty much forever. Four of its 13 losing seasons have come in the last nine years, and coach Charlie Weis has lost more games in three-plus years (20) than Rockne did in 13 (12). You have to go back to New Year’s Day 1994 for the last victory in a bowl game.

The Irish have had one first-team All-American in the last 14 years, and two first-round picks in the NFL draft since 2000.

“We’re still learning, and learning experiences are tough. But it’s something we’re trying to get moving,” offensive tackle Sam Young said. “We want to be in that hunt every year. We’ve got to find a way to get back there.”

Some blame the university’s tough academic standards, while others point the finger at a schedule that is often (though not this season) among the toughest in the country. Parity hasn’t helped, either; because of the proliferation of television and the Internet, players can go to smaller or less-famous schools and still make names for themselves.

And there are some who place the blame squarely on the coaching. Notre Dame has had some of the top recruiting classes in the country under Weis, but they’ve yet to translate into wins.

“Not that we haven’t been frustrated over the years, but we have hopes and dreams that one day we’ll be back in the spotlight,” longtime fan Dan Budzon said as he tailgated before the Syracuse game.

The Irish might take a lesson from what Pete Carroll has done at USC.

The Trojans could point to some impressive history of their own — the Thundering Herd, Tailback U, “The Comeback” — but had become decidedly mediocre by the 1990s. After three straight Rose Bowl appearances from 1987 to 1989, USC went just once in the next 11 years. There were no 10-win seasons, and the Trojans actually finished with losing records twice during that time.

Most galling were the Trojans’ performances against their fiercest rivals. They lost eight straight to UCLA from 1991 to 1998. Beginning in 1983, they went 13 years without beating the Irish, prompting Notre Dame students to make up “Decade of Dominance” T-shirts.

“Now it’s come back to bite us in the butt,” lamented Scott Sturm, a lifelong Notre Dame fan and alum.

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