Notre Dame defense rises up late to help take down USC, 49-35

Keeping the Jeweled Shillelagh in South Bend (and a home playoff game)

In rivalry games, it’s said, you need to throw the records out. With Notre Dame and USC, it was hard to look at the game that way with how the season has unfolded for each team. As the game went on — it was easier to see the truth in the old adage.

And then a couple of big plays late ices the entire thing for a 49-28 win in Los Angeles.

Notre Dame got off to a good start. The Irish defense held on the Trojans first drive of the game with a fourth down stop, and put the ball into Riley Leonard’s hands. In turn, Leonard put it in Jeremiyah Love’s hands 4 times, and the last time was a one yard touchdown run to complete a 75 yard drive.

The good vibes continued as the Irish forced a USC punt to get the ball back. Very quickly, however, things changed. Leonard connected with Jayden Thomas, but a USC defender popped the ball up in the air and the Trojans recovered the fumble. With a short field, USC quickly put it in the end zone to tie the game.

On Notre Dame’s next drive, they used a Tyler Buchner fake punt pass and two 4th down conversions just to have Mitch Jeter miss a field goal. The Irish defense forced a 3 and out against SC, and then took a 65 yard drive in for a score — a Riley Leonard touchdown pass to Eli Raridon.

USC got the ball back with 55 seconds left in the half, but only needed 31 of them to go 78 yards for a touchdown to tie the game up.

Notre Dame got the ball to start the second half, and on the 6th play of the drive, Jadarian Price went 36 yards for a touchdown to get the lead back to 21-14. USC — pesky as hell — answered with another strong drive and a Jayden Maiava touchdown to tie it again.

Notre Dame’s offense went back to work and went another 75 yards for another touchdown. This time it was a one yard touchdown run by Riley Leonard to make it a 28-21 lead. After the Irish forced a USC punt on the next possession, Riley Leonard threw an interception to set USC up with good field position.

The Irish defense took care of business this time, as they forced the Trojans to turn the ball over on downs with the first four plays. With a little bit of blood in the water, Jadarian Price ripped off a big run and then Leonard found Mitchell Evans for a 26 yard touchdown pass to make it 35-21 going into the 4th quarter.

After the teams exchanged a few punts, USC got the ball back and Maiava kept finding open receivers to get down inside the Irish 5 yard line. Despite a false start on the 1 and a weird quarterback change, USC makes it 35-28 with a Maiava touchdown pass to Jai’Kobi Lane — on Christian Gray who had a rough day.

Notre Dame stalled out on their next drive and a good punt put Southern Cal back to the 16. USC took the momentum, and drove right down the field on Notre Dame.

And then it happened.

Christian Gray, who was having a really bad day, picked off Maiava on the one yard line and returned it 99 yards to make it 42-28 with less than 4 minutes left in the game.

Down two touchdowns, USC went back to work and drove the ball right back down the field through the air. On 4th down from the 17 yard line, Xavier Watts intercepts the ball in the endzone and goes 100 yards for the score to make it 49-28.

Notre Dame played soft as butter defense in the final minute, and USC took it quickly to the endzone for a touchdown and a 49-35 game (not a great look but hey).

The Irish walk out of the Coliseum with a win, the Jeweled Shillelagh, and locked up a home playoff game.

More to come on OFD.