South Bend, Indiana – It was an ominous image of what could have been a bitter end to the century-long series. Dark clouds descended over Touchdown Jesus and a torrential downpour drenched every soul in Notre Dame Stadium, as if Mother Nature herself was lashing out at the prospect of one of college football's defining rivalries dying in vain.
Both USC and Notre Dame have suggested they want the rivalry to continue if they can reach an agreement in the coming months. But if this really was the end, then 99 years ago USC and Notre Dame met for the first time on the football field, it will be an especially crushing finish for the Trojans, who lost 34-24 and now find their College Football Playoff hopes hanging in the balance.
Saturday seemed to be heading toward a different ending when the Irish kicked a 31-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. Three plays later USC guard Jayden Maiava found Makai Lemon in the backfield for a 42-yard gain.
All the dynamics of the game were suddenly in your hands USC coach Lincoln Riley and his crime. It was then that Riley came up with a reckless stunt that he would surely later regret.
Notre Dame's Jalen Sneed attempts to sack USC defensive end Jayden Maiava during the first quarter Saturday in South Bend, Indiana.
(Paul Beaty/Associated Press)
Running straight in the circle, Lemon took a pass from Maiava and immediately found himself trapped by the Notre Dame defense. Lemon raised the ball as if he was going to throw, but the ball came off.
It was a rare mistake by a Trojan star, but it was particularly costly. It took Notre Dame seven plays to find the end zone after that, as fullback C.J. Carr punched it in from one yard out to end the game.
But other mistakes were made and opportunities missed long before the Irish struck the final blow. On the way to Lemon's fumble, Maiava threw an interception, his first of two in the final 20 minutes of the game. On its next possession, USC failed to convert on fourth down or down the middle.
Of course, a loss cannot be reduced to a few extra plays. USC was overwhelmed by Notre Dame's rushing attack, which totaled 306 yards and three touchdowns. Jeremiah Love alone accounted for 228 yards and a touchdown.
Notre Dame running back Jeremiah Love attempts a touchdown in the first quarter against USC on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium.
(Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, the Trojans faced Notre Dame. without two top runners and could do nothing on earth. King Miller led USC with 70 yards on 18 carries.
The USC offense seemed to carry on for most of the second and third quarters before Maiava spotted Ja'Coby Lane running past the Notre Dame secondary. He said a prayer in the pouring rain, and it found Lane on a perfect run as he raced into the end zone for a 59-yard gain.
But the Irish needed just 15 seconds to pass USC again. On the ensuing kickoff, Jadarian Price passed one Trojan, then another, before the field opened up in front of him. He didn't stop until he reached the end zone, 100 yards later, when the Irish retook the lead.
They didn't give up after that, clawing their way to victory in the 96th – and potentially final – meeting between the rivals.
Heavy rain drenched the stadium hours before kick-off, bringing with it lightning that cast doubt on the start of the game. But the rain subsided and both teams had time to warm up and the game started on time.
With thunderstorms expected after the break, neither team wasted any time putting the pedal to the metal in the first quarter.
USC drove down the field on its opening drive and Maiava completed four of five passes, the last of which hit tight end Lake McRee in the corner of the end zone. The touchdown gave USC its first lead in South Bend since 2019. But Notre Dame responded immediately, with Love breaking up his first carry on a 63-yard sprint and then throwing for a 12-yard touchdown on his second.
Both teams were on the board within five minutes of the match. Then suddenly their crimes stopped.
The price finally broke out early in the second quarter. The Irish running back burst for 32 yards and then raced to the edge for a 16-yard touchdown three plays later.
Notre Dame ran the ball at will for the first two quarters. Love crossed the century mark on the ground with nine minutes left in the half, while the Irish finished the first half averaging 12 yards per carry.
But just as Notre Dame was back in the end zone, poised to go up by two points, Carr threw an interception straight at USC cornerback Braylan Shelby.
USC was unable to take full advantage of this. The Trojans managed to get into the red zone twice in the second quarter, but came away with only three points overall.
Those missed opportunities haunted USC for the rest of the game — and with no games scheduled between them from that point forward, the Trojans will now have an eternity to ponder why it all went wrong.
