“RESOLVED: That the University of Notre Dame should defeat the University of Southern California in the 2006 collegiate football contest” will be the featured topic as the debate teams from legendary football rivals Notre Dame and USC square off for the first time at 4p.m. Friday (April 28) in the Decio Theatre of the DeBartolo Center for the Performing Arts at Notre Dame.
Two representatives from each university will argue the topic in front of a public audience. Tim Fiorta and Corey Mehlos, captains of Notre Dame’s parliamentary and policy debate teams, respectively, will compete against USC’s Michael Smith and Brandon Hancock, a member of the football team who is expected to start at fullback for the Trojans next season.
The football game Nov. 25 in Los Angeles will mark the 80th anniversary of the first game of what is considered the greatest intersectional rivalry in collegiate sports.
The Notre Dame Debate Team, composed of students from Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s College and Holy Cross College, this year formed its first policy debate team in more than a decade, thanks to the support of alumnus William T. Carey and his wife, Helen. The team is a member of the National Debate Tournament, the most expansive competitive debate organization in the country.
The Notre Dame-USC debate is free and open to the public, but tickets are required and are available by calling the DeBartolo box office at 574-631-2800.
Originally published by at newsinfo.nd.edu on April 26, 2006.