What year is this?

For the first time in years, the Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh has meaningful postseason implications for both USC and Notre Dame.

The last time the two teams were both ranked in the top 15 when they clashed was back in 2006 when the sixth-ranked Fighting Irish came to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for a matchup with the third-ranked Trojans — who won that day, 44-24. It would instead be USC’s other rival, UCLA, that played spoiler for the Trojans a week later, knocking them out of the title game with a 13-9 win at the Rose Bowl.

The stakes aren’t quite as high this season, with the Fighting Irish ranked 15th and fighting for a NY6 bowl bid and the Trojans needing a win and then a win in the Pac-12 title game to secure a College Football Playoff berth.

But this is still one of the biggest matchups between the two teams in a long while.

Here’s my look at that exciting showdown and other final thoughts heading into the final weekend of the regular season.

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Arizona State at Arizona, noon (Friday), FS1

Something’s got to give when the two Grand Canyon State schools meet on Saturday at Arizona Stadium in Tucson.

Will it be Arizona’s defense, ranked 11th in the Pac-12 in total defense? Or will it be Arizona State’s offense, which ranks 11th in total offense?

Neither team has found its footing this season, though both have scored big upsets — Arizona State’s coming in Week 6 against Washington and Arizona’s coming in Week 11 at UCLA. If those versions of the Sun Devils and Wildcats show up, the Territorial Cup could be in for some fireworks.

If not, this game is shaping up to be a real dud. The one thing that might rescue it could be Arizona’s passing game, as there were some sideline explosions last weekend in a 31-20 loss to Arizona that could linger.

Prediction: After an emotional loss to Wazzu, Wildcats take home Territorial Cup.

No. 18 UCLA at Cal, 1:30 p.m. (Friday), Fox

The Bruins at this point must feel like they don’t have much to fight for. A shocking loss to Arizona in Week 11 rendered a 10-win regular season a near-impossibility and a 3-point loss to USC a week ago at the Rose Bowl officially shut the door on a potential Pac-12 title game appearance.

After going 8-4 last year and 6-3 in conference play, another 6-3 conference mark despite big additions in the transfer portal and the maturation of Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Zach Charbonnet was not exactly what the Bruins had in mind this year.

Closing the door on Cal — particularly in light of their Berkeley brethren’s opposition to UCLA’s move to the Big Ten — could provide some motivation to the Bruins.

Prediction: Bruins finish Bears off for a nine-win season, yet still feel disappointed.

No. 9 Oregon at No. 21 Oregon State, 2:30 p.m., ABC

The hardest game of the weekend to predict, this one might just come down to the health of Bo Nix. Nix looked hobbled in the Ducks’ 20-17 win over Utah last Saturday, and Dan Lanning said earlier this week that he would have to be evaluated every day. If Nix isn’t a full-go, Oregon State is going to come after him hard and often, particularly knowing that the Ducks are sore up front, with center Alex Forsyth nursing a shoulder injury and guard Jackson Powers-Johnson reeling after a leg injury suffered against the Utes.

Utah is a better team than the Beavers, but Oregon State carries a lot of pride into this year’s matchup. The Beavers would love to have a chance at double-digit wins, and a win over the Ducks would give them nine. And while OSU is out of the running for a Pac-12 title game berth, the Beavers would love to play spoiler against their in-state rivals.

If Nix comes out shaky and Ben Gulbranson can take advantage of a susceptible Oregon defense, Oregon State might pull out the surprise win.

Prediction: Ducks survive another off-day by Bo Nix.

No. 14 Utah at Colorado, 1 p.m., Pac-12 Network

After a close loss to Oregon in a major Week 12 matchup just about knocked the Utes out of the Pac-12 title game picture, Kyle Whittingham and Co. need a get-right game before they get into bowl prep.

The Buffaloes provide the perfect patsy for the Utes to get their passing game back in the right place. After the first 3-interception game of his career, Cam Rising needs to be in the right mindset going forward.

Prediction: Buffs don’t stand a chance against the bigger, badder, and, yes, buffer Utes.

No. 15 Notre Dame at No. 6 USC, 4:30 p.m., ABC

The Fighting Irish have been playing some of the best football in the country as of late, including a 44-0 beatdown of Boston College last weekend. But they haven’t seen an offense like USC’s all season long.

The Trojans are scoring offensively behind Heisman hopeful Caleb Williams, whose streak of five-touchdown games ended in a 48-45 win over UCLA at the Rose Bowl last Saturday. Williams had to settle for breaking a USC record for total offense in the game.

With the Trojans finally getting healthy at the right time, they seem full-steam ahead toward a College Football Playoff berth.

Prediction: Trojans inch closer to a Playoff berth with a big win over the Fighting Irish.

No. 13 Washington at Washington State, 7:30 p.m., ESPN

Along with USC, the Huskies are among the best stories in the Pac-12, if not all of college football. Unlike the Trojans, Washington did not have a wholesale influx of talent come to a squad that went 4-8 last season. Kalen DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb simply coached and schemed the Huskies up.

But we’ll see if Washington bears any residue from an Apple Cup pasting a year ago, when Washington State scored its biggest win in program history over the Huskies, 40-13.

If the Washington offensive line holds up against a good Cougars pass rush, the Huskies will finish with 10 regular-season wins.

Prediction: Huskies pull off double-digit wins in Kalen DeBoer’s first season.

BYU at Stanford, 8 p.m., FS1

Meeting for the first time in nearly two decades and just the 3rd time ever, this would’ve been a great matchup a half-decade ago. Stanford won both matchups in 2003 and 2004.

Both the Cougars and the Cardinal are in much different places than then, with the Cougars surprisingly regressing this year while Stanford has been junk for years.

Somehow BYU has just a 53.1% chance of winning by ESPN’s FPI, despite a much better offense behind quarterback Jaren Hall.

Prediction: Cougars beat Cardinal for first time in program history.