The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame punched their ticket to the postseason with a 49-35 victory over USC (6-6) on Saturday. In a rivalry-week thriller, the Irish (11-1) utilized two late pick-sixes within a crucial three-minute stretch of the fourth quarter to ice the win over their longtime arch-rival at the Los Angeles Coliseum. It was the highest-scoring game (84 combined points) in the history of the series which dates to 1929. Notre Dame is now 52-38-5 all-time against USC.
In securing their 10th consecutive win after an embarrassing Week 2 loss to Northern Illinois, the Irish have all but controlled their postseason destiny. With the hard-fought win to retain the Jeweled Shillelagh, No. 5 Notre Dame wrapped up an at-large spot in the 12-team playoff and will host a first-round College Football Playoff game at Notre Dame Stadium on Dec. 20 or 21. The Irish were No. 5 in last week’s CFP rankings. Notre Dame could move up when brackets are announced following Ohio State’s loss on Saturday.
“It was a hard-fought victory,” said Irish head coach Marcus Freeman in his post-game press conference. “They definitely earned it. I’m proud of these guys. It’s an honor to be a part of this football program with these guys, this coaching staff. To see where we were 84 days ago (after the loss to NIU) to where we’re at now is a testament to the trust and decisions of those guys in that locker room, the coaching staff, and everyone else. This is what it’s all about, the journey. It’s awesome. We’ll worry about the future later. Let’s enjoy this victory in a rivalry game over a good USC team. I’m proud of these guys. We’ll have a happy flight back home.”
Notre Dame Defense Steps Up in the Clutch
With the outcome still in question late in the fourth quarter, Notre Dame’s defense rose to the occasion. Christian Gray intercepted a Jayden Maiava pass and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown. The feat matched Luther Bradley’s 99-yard interception touchdown return against Purdue in 1975 as the longest in school history. That mark was broken on USC’s next offensive drive by Xavier Watts’ 100-yard interception return that he caught a few yards deep in the end zone. The game-changing plays sealed the win for Notre Dame, paving the way to the postseason.
All told, Maiava rushed for a pair of touchdowns and threw for 360 yards (and nearly 200 additional yards if Gray and Watts are included) on the day. Despite the strong effort, Maiava suffered his first loss as a starter at USC. He won his first two starts since replacing Miller Moss under center. Makai Lemon led USC receivers with 133 yards on nine catches (10 targets). Running back Woody Marks, a Mississippi State transfer, was injured in the first half and did not return to the game.
California Love
Before an injury cut his afternoon short, running back Jeremiyah Love punished the USC defense. Love opened the scoring with an early one-yard touchdown run, giving the sophomore sensation a rushing touchdown in every game this season. The touchdown extended Love’s consecutive game-scoring streak to 12 to start a season (the previous record was 11 by Autry Denson in 1998). It also breaks the program record of 11 straight games with a rushing touchdown that was previously held by Wayne Bullock over the 1973 and 1974 seasons.
For the game, Love carried the ball 13 times for 99 yards, including another highlight-reel hurdle of a defender. All told, Love touched the ball 16 times—including three receptions—for 137 total yards. He left the game in the third quarter and did not return.
Price is Right in the Second Half
Jadarian Price paced the Irish offense in the second half. He finished the game as the Irish’s leading rusher with 111 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. His longest run came on a 36-yard touchdown scamper on Notre Dame’s opening drive of the second half.
Riley Leonard had a solid but unspectacular day against the Trojans. He went 17-of-22 for 155 yards, two touchdowns, (ran for another score), and tossed an interception. USC sacked Leonard twice. Leonard added 59 yards rushing on 12 carries. Tyler Buchner shook off the rust and completed a 23-yard pass in the game on a gutsy fourth-down call, extending a drive for the Irish. Notre Dame’s leading receiver for the game was tight end Mitchell Evans who caught five passes on six targets for 59 yards and a touchdown.
Notre Dame Has Work To Do Before CFP
The Irish’s win over longtime rival USC exposed areas where Notre Dame requires improvement on both sides of the ball. The USC offense challenged the Notre Dame defense throughout the afternoon, testing its limits. Meanwhile, the Irish offense struggled to maintain momentum and capitalize on opportunities to put their persistent rival away. The inconsistency allowed USC, a team with a .500 record, to hang around.
On the bright side, the Fighting Irish responded when challenged on Saturday. The hard-fought win over USC was a total team victory, replete with game-changing plays that allowed the Irish to escape Southern California with hopes of pursuing a National Championship. To advance successfully in the CFP, Notre Dame must elevate its overall performance. With the first-round playoff games three weeks away, however, the Irish have ample time to recover and prepare for what the Irish faithful hope is an extended postseason run.
