While it might not be the same level as the Syracuse - Akron connection, there are a lot of connections and coincidental relationships that give Saturday's game way more subplots that it probably deserves.
Syracuse AD DOCTOR Daryl Gross was formerly the assistant athletic director at USC, which is basically the reason this game is happening in the first place.
While at USC, Gross hired Pete Carroll as the USC head football coach. When Gross left USC for Syracuse and was looking for a new head football coach for SU, he asked Pete Carroll for any recommendations. Carroll recommended a guy he had worked with years earlier at Pacific University named Greg Robinson. You're familiar with him.
Current USC head coach Lane Kiffin previously worked for the Oakland Raiders, owned by Syracuse alumus Al Davis. This is what he looks like.
Kiffin was possibly a candidate for the Syracuse head coaching job at some point.
Kiffin's Dad is Monte Kiffin, who is also the USC defensive coordinator. Back when Kiffin worked with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he worked alongside a guy named Paul Hackett. Paul Hackett is Syracuse OC Nate Hackett's Dad.
Monte Kiffin once hired Greg Robinson as an assistant coach at N.C. State (H/T: Stumpycuse).
Paul Hackett used to be a USC assistant coach.
Syracuse defensive coordinator Scott Shafer was DC at Stanford in 2007 when the Cardinal came to the Coliseum as 41-point underdogs. Stanford shocked the Trojans and ended their 35-game home winning streak thanks to Shafer's pesky D.
Lane Kiffin and Doug Marrone have both coached at Tennessee.
Defensive line coach and defensive coordinator Ed Orgeron spent three seasons as the defensive line coach at Syracuse. He was there 1995 to 1997, getting out just in time.
USC football administrator Mark Jackson spent a year with the Orange in 2005 as the executive senior associate athletic director.
Syracuse defensive end Mikhail Marinovich has an older brother who played a little QB for the USC Trojans, as you might remember.
USC's third-ever football coach, Clair S. Tappaan, was a Syracuse alum. He didn't do very well, which is why we don't speak of him much.
One early Trojan, Harold Huyck, transferred from Syracuse and played at USC in 1916.
Syracuse and USC have played one another twice, and both times have been unpleasant for the Orange. A 16-0 loss in LA in 1924 and a 34-16 loss in the 1990 Kickoff Classic.
The basketball teams have met once, though, and in that one the Orangemen dominated, winning 102-68 in 1985.
Syracuse defensive lineman Deon Goggins grew up in Los Angeles and dreamed of playing for the USC Trojans in the Coliseum. Well, he'll get the chance to do most of that.