Two interceptions returned the full length of the field were the key defensive plays for Notre Dame
No. 5 Notre Dame defeated USC 49-35 on Saturday to put the program in prime position to reach the 12-team College Football Playoff next month. The Fighting Irish end the regular season with an 11-1 mark and are on the verge of reaching the CFP for the third time in program history.
Notre Dame defensive back Christian Gray returned an interception 99 yards the other way for a touchdown with 3:39 remaining. On USC’s following drive, Irish safety Xavier Watts returned an interception 101 yards the other way for Notre Dame’s second defensive touchdown to seal the win.
After losing to Northern Illinois in Week 2, Notre Dame ended the regular season on a 10-game winning streak to improve its chances of hosting a game in the first round of the CFP next month.
Notre Dame racked up 260 yards of offense on the ground. Running back Jadarian Price rushed for a team-high 111 yards, and star running back Jeremiyah Love finished with 99. Love exited the game in the second half with a leg injury and didn’t return.
Notre Dame was knotted at 14 with USC at halftime before it fired off 21 points in the third quarter to take control of the game. Quarterback Riley Leonard connected with tight end Mitchell Evans for a 23-yard touchdown with 1:11 remaining in the third quarter to extend the lead to double-digits.
USC entered the weekend as one of six FBS teams to lead every game in the fourth quarter. Notre Dame never trailed in the win over USC to snap that streak. The Trojans finished the regular season with a 6-6 record and will await their bowl game placement.
- Notre Dame scored at least 28 points in 10 consecutive games, which marked the first time the program had accomplished the feat.
- Notre Dame had two pick-sixes of at least 99 yards entering the weekend. The Fighting Irish recorded two in the final three minutes against USC.
- Maiava recorded his first game with two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. Maiava took over as USC’s starting quarterback against Nebraska earlier this month. Saturday was his third start in a USC uniform.
- Leonard recorded his seventh career game with two rushing passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. Leonard has accomplished that feat four times this season.
- USC dropped to 0-4 against AP top-10 opponents under HC Lincoln Riley with the loss to Notre Dame.
CBS Sports was here with updates, highlights and analysis from the game. Read on below for more takeaways.
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Another chance at a top-10 win slips away for Lincoln Riley
USC was one of six FBS teams to lead at some point in the fourth quarter of every game this season. The Trojans saw that streak snapped today. The two interceptions in the final three minutes were backbreaking. Riley’s team had multiple opportunities to steal the momentum away for good and secure a marquee win over a top-10 team. USC’s season had promise after opening up with a statement victory over LSU in Week 1, but the potential never came to fruition. For most programs, a 6-6 record isn’t the end of the world, but this is Year 3 of the Riley era. This will be a long offseason for Riley.
Notre Dame’s defense steps up when it matters
Entering today, Notre Dame had had two pick sixes of at least 99 yards in program history. In the final three minutes against USC, Notre Dame matched that total. First, defensive back Christian Gray returned an interception 99 yards the other way for a touchdown with 3:39 remaining. USC was on a potential game-tying drive before Gray helped extend Notre Dame’s lead to 14. On USC’s ensuing drive, Irish safety Xavier Watts returned an interception 101 yards the other way for the second defensive touchdown a minute later. Notre Dame allowed 557 yards of total offense, but the two takeaways in the final moments sealed the wire-to-wire lead.
Notre Dame should host in the first round of the CFP
FINAL: No. 5 Notre Dame 49, USC 35
Notre Dame entered the weekend as a near lock to make the College Football Playoff regardless of the result of this weekend. After recording a statement win over USC, the Fighting Irish should not only get into the CFP as an at-large team, but host in the first round next month. It’s a stark contrast to Notre Dame’s CFP outlook less than three months ago after losing to Northern Illinois at home in Week 2. Notre Dame had to be (nearly) perfect the rest of the season to have a shot, and it did just that. Because Notre Dame is an independent, the program isn’t eligible for a first-round bye. The best-case scenario would be earning a No. 5 seed in the CFP bracket.
Another defensive touchdown for Notre Dame will end it
LATE 4Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 42, USC 28
Notre Dame’s defense just did it again. Star safety Xavier Watts picked off Maiava and returned it 101 yards the other way for a touchdown. The Fighting Irish just recorded two defensive touchdowns in two minutes.
Notre Dame is on the verge of the CFP
LATE 4Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 42, USC 28
Notre Dame DB Christian Gray just made the biggest play of his team’s season. With USC driving deep into Notre Dame territory, Gray picked off Maiava and returned it 99-yards the other way for a touchdown. Notre Dame is ahead by 14 with 3:39 remaining, and pending a late collapse, will finish the regular season 11-1.
USC gets the stop
LATE 4Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 35, USC 28
USC just got the stop it needed to extend this game. The Trojans will take over deep in their own territory with 5:47 remaining. USC has all three of its timeouts.
USC isn’t done yet
MID 4Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 35, USC 28
After USC came up with a critical stop on Notre Dame’s most recent possession, the Trojans cut the deficit in half with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Maiava to Ja’Kobi Lane. The Trojans have all three of their timeouts and will need to get a stop with 8:43 remaining to have a chance to tie the game.
USC punts, again
EARLY 4Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 35, USC 21
USC just punted away the football during the opening minute of the fourth quarter. This will be a critical drive for both teams. USC needs a stop to mount a potential comeback, while Notre Dame could put this game away.
Irish look to finish strong without Love
END 3Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 35, USC 21
Heading into this week, USC was one of six FBS teams to lead in the fourth quarter of every game this season. The Trojans will have to rally in the fourth quarter to keep that streak alive after Notre Dame fired off 21 points in the third quarter. The Fighting Irish scored on three of their four offensive drives in that quarter to extend the lead to 14. USC will open the fourth quarter with the ball at the Notre Dame 43-yard line.
Notre Dame will have to do it the rest of the way without star running back Jeremiyah Love, who is done for the day with a leg injury. Love finishes the day with 13 carries for 99 yards and a touchdown. He also caught three passes for 38 yards.
Notre Dame extends lead
LATE 3Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 35, USC 21
USC wasn’t able to come away with points after forcing its second turnover of the game, and Notre Dame made them pay. Three players after stopping USC on fourth-and-short, Leonard found Evans for a 23-yard touchdown. The Fighting Irish have their largest lead of the game with 1:11 remaining in the third quarter.
Bad throw by Leonard leads to another turnover
LATE 3Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 28, USC 21
Not sure what happened there with Leonard and his wide receiver, but it appeared they weren’t on the same page. Leonard threw it right to USC’s Anthony Beavers Jr. Notre Dame has turned the ball over twice now. Notre Dame’s defense got a stop on fourth-and-short on the ensuing possession.
USC will punt
LATE 3Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 28, USC 21
USC will punt after failing to convert third-and-long. The Trojans picked up one first down on that drive and will give the ball back to Notre Dame with 3:59 remaining in the third quarter.
Three drives, three touchdowns
MID 3Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 28, USC 21
There have been three offensive drives in the second half. All three of them have resulted in touchdowns. Leonard went up the middle on a quarterback draw to help his team take the lead back. The 2-yard rushing touchdown was Leonard’s first rushing touchdown of the day. Notre Dame has over 200 yards rushing as a team.
USC responds
MID 3Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 21, USC 21
With Marks out for the remainder of the game, it’s been a heavy dose of Joyner in the run game. Joyner had a nice run to set USC up deep in Notre Dame territory. Maiava scored his second rushing touchdown a few plays after that run to tie the game at 21. USC has run the football 16 times for 77 yards.
Notre Dame strikes first in the second half
EARLY 3Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 21, USC 14
Notre Dame just completed an impressive drive to open up the second half. The Fighting Irish went on a 5-play, 75-yard drive capped with a 36-yard touchdown run by Jadarian Price. Notre Dame has run for 160 yards on the ground on 23 attempts. Price’s run was Notre Dame’s longest offensive play of the game.
USC knots it up before the break
HALF: No. 5 Notre Dame 14, USC 14
No. 5 Notre Dame is tied with USC at halftime of Saturday’s battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh. USC went on a 5-play, 78-yard drive in 31 seconds to tie the game at 14 right before the intermission. USC quarterback Jayden Maiava found Ja’Kobi Lane for a 12-yard touchdown strike for his first touchdown pass of the day.
The Fighting Irish jumped out to a 7-0 advantage in the first quarter after running back Jeremiyah Love scored on a 1-yard touchdown run. USC responded in the opening minutes of the first quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jayden Maiava to tie the game. Notre Dame capped a 7-play, 65-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Riley Leonard to Eli Raridon with 59 seconds left in the first half. Leonard completed 13 of 15 attempts for 91 yards and ran for 24 yards in the opening frame.
Notre Dame entered Week 14 in prime position to receive an at-large bid to the 12-team College Football Playoff. Notre Dame’s clash with USC will serve as its final test until the CFP committee releases the bracket next month. Notre Dame entered the final week of the regular season with a point differential of +301, which ranked first among all FBS teams.
What a drive by USC
LATE 2Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 14, USC 14
USC just went on a 5-play, 78-yard drive in 31 seconds to tie this game at 14 with 24 seconds left in the first half. Maiava found Ja’Kobi Lane for a 12-yard touchdown strike. Maiava has completed 11 of 16 attempts for 132 yards.
Touchdown Notre Dame
LATE 2Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 14, USC 7
Notre Dame capped a 7-play, 65-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Leonard to Eli Raridon. USC will get the ball back with less than a minute left in the second half. The Trojans have all three of their timeouts.
USC will punt
LATE 2Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 7, USC 7
USC couldn’t pick up a first down after the missed field goal. Notre Dame DL Gabriel Rubio came up with a huge sack on first down to put USC behind the sticks early. Notre Dame will get the ball back with 3:26 left in the first half.
Notre Dame can’t capitalize on successful fake punt
MID 2Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 7, USC 7
Just when you thought USC was going to get the football back with favorable field position, Notre Dame decided to dial up a trick play. The Irish ran a fake punt to perfection on fourth down and completed an 18-yard pass from former quarterback Tyler Buchner to tight end Mitchell Evans. Notre Dame stalled out inside the red zone, and Mitch Jeter’s 26-yard field goal was missed wide right. USC will take over inside its own 20-yard line.
USC capitalizes on turnover
EARLY 2Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 7, USC 7
USC capitalized off the first turnover of the day by completing a 5-play, 37-yard drive that resulted in a 1-yard touchdown run by Maiava. USC star running back Woody Marks wasn’t in on that series because of an injury suffered minutes before. The Trojans have 61 yards on the ground on 11 attempts so far and 119 yards of total offense.
USC’s defense makes a big play
EARLY 2Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 7, USC 0
USC’s defense made a huge play that might swing the momentum. After Notre Dame completed a pass over the middle to Jayden Thomas, Jacobe Covington forced a fumble, and USC recovered. The Trojans will take over inside Notre Dame’s 30.
Notre Dame in control early
END 1Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 7, USC 0
We have reached the end of the first quarter from Southern California. Notre Dame will take a 7-0 lead into the second quarter after stopping USC on each of its first two offensive drives. Notre Dame forced a turnover on downs on its first defensive series against USC’s offense and allowed just one first down on the following drive. Notre Dame’s offense did a good job of running the football on its opening series. Love and quarterback Riley Leonard each carried the football four times on Notre Dame’s touchdown drive for 55 yards.
Notre Dame strikes first
LATE 1Q: No. 5 Notre Dame 7, USC 0
Notre Dame just went on an impressive opening drive, resulting in a 1-yard touchdown by Jeremiyah Love. The Fighting Irish went 13 plays for 72 yards after stopping USC on fourth-and-short. Notre Dame picked up five first downs and ran for 55 yards on its opening series. Notre Dame also chewed up over seven minutes of the game clock.
USC turns it over on downs
EARLY 1Q: USC 0, No. 5 Notre Dame 0
USC’s promising opening drive of the game resulted in a turnover on downs. On fourth-and-3, USC quarterback Jayden Maiava found Zachariah Branch for a 1-yard gain. The Trojans picked up three first downs on their first drive of the day, but it resulted in zero points.
Here we go
USC wins the coin toss and will receive. Beautiful day for football here in Southern California.
Notre Dame’s run game is the key
Notre Dame has a chance to win its 11th game of the season this weekend, which would mark the sixth time in program history that’s happened. The Fighting Irish have turned their season around because of the run game. Notre Dame has 37 rushing touchdowns as a team entering Week 14 — the most in a season since 1991. Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and quarterback Riley Leonard are the first duo in program history with at least 13 rushing touchdowns each.
Maiava has been a spark for USC
After USC lost to Washington 26-21 on Nov. 2 to drop to 4-5, Riley made a switch at quarterback. He benched Moss in favor of Maiava, who transferred into the program after originally committing to Georgia out of the transfer portal. The change appeared to have paid off because Maiava provided USC’s offense with a different dynamic than Moss did. With USC’s quarterback situation remaining fluid heading into the 2025 season, Maiava can solidify himself as Riley’s QB1 long-term with a strong performance on Saturday and in USC’s bowl game next month.
One final test for Notre Dame before the CFP
Notre Dame’s path to the CFP is simple. If the Fighting Irish handle business this weekend and come out of Southern California with a win to move to 11-1, it will be hard for the committee to leave them out of the CFP. Notre Dame’s hopes of reaching the CFP took a massive hit after losing to NIU earlier this season, but Marcus Freeman’s program has been playing lights out since. It helps that other teams around them in the rankings have lost in recent weeks, but Notre Dame should be in contention to host during the first round of the CFP with a win.
Notre Dame vs. USC prediction
Notre Dame’s run game is the key to victory. The Fighting Irish have been on a tear since losing to NIU early in the season and the program is on the cusp of securing their third appearance in the CFP. Although USC has looked like a better team with Maiava at quarterback, the inability to win close games down the stretch has been an issue under Riley. The Trojans are one of six FBS teams to lead at some point in the fourth quarter in every game this season. Notre Dame leaves no doubt about its status as a CFP team this weekend with a win on the road. Pick: Notre Dame -7.5
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