According to ticket brokers, this weekend's matchup between USC and Notre Dame (hereafter known as the Dark Forces and the Holy Warriors, respectively) has broken records for demand. Only two other games have created this kind of demand in the last six years, and it may not be over yet:

So, you're not a big-time USC athletics donor and you still need tickets to Saturday's USC-Notre Dame game at the Coliseum for less than the down payment on a luxury SUV?

Steve Lopes has three words for you: "There aren't any."

Lopes, the USC senior associate athletic director who oversees ticket operations, said the school has only a handful of tickets left — and they are reserved for athletics donors with last-minute needs.

Fighting Irish fans don't have it any better. Notre Dame officials say this game is the most-requested road game in school history. Josh Berlo, director of ticket operations, said his office fielded 33,251 requests — and that's only from the alumni and benefactors who participated in a ticket lottery last summer.

With three days to go, the game is already the No. 3 college football game in StubHub's six-year history — exceeded only by the 2006 Rose Bowl and last week's Ohio State-Michigan game — according to a company spokesman.

Fortunately for me, my aunt gave up her ticket so that I could see the game live at the Colisseum on Saturday -- and she didn't even charge me a dime for it. Of course, I had to agree to come out to California, but that was hardly a big sacrifice. She's going to tailgate instead during the game along with my mother and other family members, and we're making it an all-day affair. We'll tour the campus, eat lots of grill, watch some other college football games on TV as a warmup .... and then head to our end-zone seats for the big show.

Of course, I'll be outnumbered in the stands, but apparently not by much. Over 30,000 Irish fans will invade the Colisseum for this event, and I'll have plenty of company. I'm planning on wearing my green Irish jersey to the game, which my uncle will attempt to counter by wearing as much crimson and gold as he possibly can don. It should be a raucous good time.

So who will win? Both teams have only one loss, and both teams have had moments where it looked like they would have more. The Trojans just came off a tough game against Cal, while Notre Dame had a couple of warmups against Army and Navy. Brady Quinn has really hit his stride while John Booty still seems to be struggling. I'm picking the Irish by a touchdown, but it will probably go down to the wire like it did last year.

One last item: I'm thinking about blogging the tailgate, if not the game. I have to find out what power facilities will be available, but if I can do it, I will.

GO IRISH!

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