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Two tickets to see No. 1 USC at No. 9 Notre Dame today: $1,500 (eBay).

A parking pass for tailgating purposes in the shadow of Touchdown Jesus: $535.

USC going from a 13-point favorite to 11 in just an hour: Senseless.

The Trojans-Fighting Irish rivalry with the national championship on the line: Priceless.

Can the Fighting Irish pull off the unthinkable upset?

They have before.

Is this 1947, 1988 or 1993 all over again?

That’s what fans of Texas, Virginia Tech, Georgia and Florida State are hoping. And let’s not forget Penn State, which is a serious contender for at least another week.

The Seminoles know how dangerous of a spot this could be. In ’93, FSU took its No. 1 ranking and 9-0 record to South Bend only to see the Irish spoil a perfect season. Sure, the Seminoles went on to win the national title — and the Trojans could do the same with a loss — but on that dreary day in November, Notre Dame, which everyone forgets was No. 2 at the time, showed its magic touch.

A win against USC might also rank up there with the Irish’s 1957 victory, which snapped the NCAA record 47-game winning streak by the famed, Bud Wilkinson-coached Oklahoma team. And Hurricane fans would like to forget the 31-30 loss to Notre Dame in 1988, which ended Miami’s 36-game winning streak. Notre Dame has knocked off eight No. 1 teams.

But the luck of the Irish has carried over to all sports. Notre Dame just has a knack of knocking off the unbeatable. In 1974, the Irish basketball team ended UCLA’s 88-game win streak. In 1994, the women’s soccer team put an end to North Carolina’s 92-game victory stretch. And this past January, the women’s basketball squad became the first team to stop Connecticut on its home court in 112 tries.

So what’s a 27-game winning streak?

Actually, USC shouldn’t be worried about Notre Dame pulling off another shocker. The Trojans have faced the Irish five times in the past as the No. 1 team in the country and have never lost.

If anything, this is shaping up like 1972 — which means Notre Dame is in trouble.

That year, No. 1 USC and Anthony Davis rolled all over No. 10 Notre Dame. Davis scored six touchdowns, including two kick returns, in a 45-23 victory.

One trend that has never changed is gamblers jumping on the Notre Dame side of the wager. The line on this game went from 13 to 11 in about an hour, according to several Las Vegas outlets. Los Angeles might be a two-hour drive, but nothing drives the line down like a little Irish success.

Has everyone forgotten that USC has beaten Notre Dame by 31 points the last three seasons?

USC running back Reggie Bush might not be 100 percent, but the Trojans’ other two or three Heisman Trophy candidates should be enough to quiet the Irish hype.

INSTANT CLASSIC: As the visiting coach in a non-conference game, USC coach Pete Carroll has opted against using instant replay in today’s game.

“I have never liked instant replay,” Carroll explained. “Maybe I’m living in the past. I just don’t like the way it affects the style and the rhythm of the game.” The VCR in the South Bend press box might be the only one not taping the game.

BCS PROPAGANDA: Ohio State’s loss to Penn State could have big effect on the first Bowl Championship Series poll which will be released on Monday.

The Buckeyes weren’t the only losers. Texas took a beating, too.

There’s a chance the Longhorns could be No. 2 in both the Harris and Coaches Polls but only No. 4 in the first BCS poll. That’s because in five of the six computer polls, which are weighed heavily on strength of schedule, the Longhorns sit out of the top five.

And even more surprising is that both the Nittany Lions and Florida State have made huge leaps in the combination of the computer rankings. Penn State is No. 1 in three of the five that are available.

Let the controversy begin.

ODDS: With the Trojans beating Notre Dame by 31 points the last three years, it’s not surprising that USC is 7-2 against the spread when facing the Fighting Irish since 1996. Sure, 11½ points looks appealing, but don’t be blinded by the shine from the dome. ... After losing to Penn State, everyone expects Ohio State to take it out on Michigan State. Not so fast. The Spartans, getting seven points, might be the better choice considering the road team in this series has covered eight of the last 10 years. ... The 68 over-under number in the Purdue-Northwestern game is intriguing. If this was a basketball game between the two schools, take the under. But thankfully it isn’t.

END: Florida quarterback Chris Leak has given up hope of winning a Heisman Trophy.

He’s got a girlfriend.

Leak once said that he wanted a Heisman before he wanted love.

“Well, I do have one now,” Leak told ESPN. “And she’s very nice.”

Does this mean he’ll make himself eligible for the NFL Draft next spring, too?

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Other wire reports contributed to this column. E-mail staff writer Tom Hanson at tahanson@naplesnews.com.