Despite surrendering a season high in points, No. 5-ranked Notre Dame’s defense came through in the clutch with pick-sixes of 99 and 100 yards, and the Fighting Irish closed the regular season with their 10th consecutive win in a 49-35 defeat of host USC on Saturday in Los Angeles.
Notre Dame (11-1) pulled ahead by two touchdowns late in the third quarter when Riley Leonard connected with Mitchell Evans for a 23-yard score. It was the second of Leonard’s two touchdown passes on a 17-of-23, 155-yard day, and his third score overall after a 2-yard end-zone rush earlier in the third quarter broke a 21-21 tie.
Leonard’s scoring strike to Evans also gave the Fighting Irish the first two-possession lead of the game, but it did not last long. USC (6-6) capitalized on favorable field position when Jayden Maiava threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Kobi Lane to finish a 45-yard Trojans drive and make it 35-28 with 8:43 to play in the fourth quarter.
USC regained possession less than three minutes later after forcing a Notre Dame punt, and Maiava completed passes of 16, two and 22 yards before Quinten Joyner rushed 23 yards to position the Trojans at the Irish 21-yard line.
Maiava targeted Kyron Hudson on a pass near the pylon, but Christian Gray snagged the underthrown ball and returned it 99 yards down the sideline for a score to put the game away.
Notre Dame snuffed out any hope of a last-ditch USC comeback effort when, on the next Trojans possession, Xavier Watts intercepted Maiava and went 100 yards to make it 49-28 with 1:18 to play.
With the win, the Fighting Irish likely sewed up a berth in the College Football Playoff. Coupled with Ohio State’s loss earlier in the day, Notre Dame is in position to move into one of four first-round byes.
Jadarian Price led Notre Dame’s 258-yard rushing attack with 111 yards on 12 carries. Jeremiyah Love ran for 99 yards on 13 carries, and Leonard carried for 50 yards on 12 attempts. All three scored a touchdown.
Evans led the Irish with five receptions for 59 yards, and Eli Raridon caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Leonard in the second quarter.
Maiava went 27-for-49 for 360 yards with three touchdown passes, all of which went to Lane. Maiava also rushed for a pair of touchdowns.
Makai Lemon caught nine passes for 133 yards and Joyner rushed for 83 yards on 10 carries in the loss.
–Field Level Media
