Cloudy weather, possible showers tonight.

Zachariah Branch does appear to be available tonight for USC.

Big one tonight for all involved. What version of the Irish offense shows up against this SC D? What can ND do to slow down Caleb Williams?

See you back at kickoff in less than 10

Go Irish

ND won the toss and deferred

Touchback and through the end zone. Keep that up

1 and 10 at the 25

Stuffed on the counter by JJB on 1st down

2 and 9

JJB pressure, forces Williams to scramble, nothing open down field. Gets maybe 1 out of bounds

3 and long

Comeback route vs C Lew converts

1 and 10

Williams pressured, tried the RPO throw to the TE, overthrew it and Watts picked it!

Returns it inside the red zone

1 and 10 at the 12

Estime works inside for 6

2 and 4

Estime gets a couple inside. Congested formation. Correll had a tough time with Alexander

3 and 2

Check to Payne out of the backfield. Slips out and SC does not peel. Payne scores

What a start for ND

7-0 Irish

Great coverage on a line drive punt that looked scary. JR T down there to make the tackle on Branch

1 and 10 at the 19

Inside to Jones for 5

2 and 5

BMo called for holding, throw was off by Williams.

1 and 10

QB draw, Watts nice job stepping up to make a tackle. Only about 4

False start with ND about the bring six on the blitz. Center was the culprit

2 and 11

Inside for a couple

3 and 9

Williams flushed out and he throws back to Washington, but Watts all over it.

Punt fair caught by Tyree inside the ND 15

Estime with run of 10+ yards to start the drive. Didn't have one of hotse all of last week.

Check down to Estime runs over the DE who dropped to the flat

2 and 6

Starting safety down for SC after that 1st play. They aren't deep so that is something to monitor

Alexander again beats Correll at the POA. Gain of 1

Tried to fit it into Flores on 3rd down and heard the footsteps. Dropped

ND punt fair catch by Branch at the SC 32

1 and 10

Gave Williams too much time. Nothing open, but he scrambles for a 1st. Holding on Hart tacked on at the end. additional 10 added to it

1 and 10 at the ND 46

Mills nice job getting penetration and Rubio finished it

2 and 9

Good protection and had time to hit the square in for another 1st

Quick on the ball, IZ for 4

2 and 6

Tried to get Branch in the open field and ND did a decent job defending, but still got the first, Barely

OPI called on Singer vs BMo. Obvious push off

1 and 25 at the ND 39

Quick screen gets about 9 back, but then illegal hands to the face by BMo gives them a 1st in the red zone

3 and 6

ND brought the house, threw the quick screen and Hart with the TFL. Great job and big stop for the ND defense

Chip shot FG is good, but when you hold SC to three in that situation, it's a win

7-3 ND

Max Williams helped off the field so doesn't look good for him coming back

Ford with a nice return to the 36

Pin and pull and penetration blows it up for a TFl

2 and 11, Hartman hits Faison on the curl for 7 to give ND 3rd and medium

End of 1st Q, ND already stole a possession with a turnover. Up 7-3 with the football

Screen to Tyree hits big for a 1st, great block by Evans

Gain of 16

1 and 10

Faison reverse with another good gain. Great job by Correll and Coogan on that call

1 and 10 inside the SC 30

Love inside gets a few

Estime back in on 2 and 7

Big time blitz pick up by Estime, ball off Tyree's hands. Out route and ball was a bit high, but could have had it

3 and 7

Out to Evans gets 5 and Freeman is going to kick the FG

36 yarder is good from Shrader

10-3 ND

Shrader boots it out of the end zone

1 and 10 at the 25

A lot of stuff going on there with the fake reverse, it goes for 10

Inside for 5

2 and 5

Lots of rotation early on the DL for ND

Cross blows up the run there, ND gets a stuff

3 and medium

Williams on the money, right at the sticks to convert

USC catches ND with too many men, trying to get a late sub. Bailed out because SC had a ineligible man down field. Negated

1 and 10

Pressure from Cross and good cover on the deep ball by BMo. Incomplete

2 and 10

Watts with a monster shot on the sideline on the back, 3 and 3 TFL by DJ Brown who came up and after Mills plugged up the inside

SC forced to punt, Sneed almost blocked it but ran into the punter. That's 5 against ND and it makes it 4 and 1

Big mistake there. SC will go for it

Williams keeps and just outruns Watts to the corner. Gets the 1st

1 and 10 inside the ND 40

PA to Washington incomplete. Watts all over it.

2 and 10

Flag on the play, Williams scores, but a hold brings it back. LG held Cross

Draw to Branch on 2 and 20 turns into 3 and 3 Dang he is special

3 and 3

Bertrand great job on Austin Jones stopping him to make it 4 and 1

SC will go again here

Bertrand meets the mesh and it's a TFL! Massive couple of plays for him ends the drive with no points

Quick toss gets about 4 to Estime

2 and 6

Tried the slot fade vs the wrong safety. Faison vs Bullock isn't the match up they want

3 and 6

Hartman hit Evans on the in and great ply by 17 to break it up.

Long punt to Branch and good enough coverage by ND to not let Branch get loose

Holding takes away the return

USC football wth under 6 minutes to go in the half. They'll start out at their own 6

Tried to hit Brendan Rice on the slant, dropped. Tight coverage

2 and 10

Screen to Branch gets 12

1 and 10

X Watts again! Pressure from the corner blitz forces the ball out and Williams makes a horrible decision

Returned inside the SC 2 yard line

And ND goes heavy and bullies it in with Estime for the touchdown!

17-3 ND

Alt crushed the down block

Kicked out of the end zone

1 and 10 at the 25

Great coverage by Harper on the deep ball to Washington. Not open. Pressured again

More pressure and Williams is on tilt!

Marist was in his face after Botelho flused him out. BMo pick!

ND football at midfield

Faked the screen, shot to Flores down the field gets ND inside the 30

PA and tried to sneak Estime out, covered and Hartman ran it for another 1st

1 and 10 at the 14

Estime inside driving his legs inside the 10

Pin and pull Estime gets it inside the 1

Great job by Fisher on the DT

1 and goal with 1:28 left. USC calls a timeout

Same play as the previous TD, same result

TD Irish

90 seconds to go and ND up 24-3

Slant to Washington gets 9

Clock running

2 and 1

Got Mario Williams in man vs Watts, big play gets SC to midfield

39 seconds left. SC took their 2nd TO

After a Williams scramble got 3 to the ND 43

2 and 7

Inside to LLoyd only gets 3. Thought they could catch ND there and didn't

30 seconds left and last timeout by SC

3 and 3

Slant converts to Washington

Nothing open down the field and JJB and Marist hit Williams and forced a throw away

14 seconds at the ND 25

Boubacar sack! Freshman mistake and Freeman had to take a timeout because he was celebrating after

SC able to kick a long FG to make it 24-6

But not an ideal way to end it. Defense is ballin

ND gets the ball first to start the half

Short kick returned to the 22 by Ford

Hartman boot forces it into Evans when he was covered. Staes wide open underneath. Why make that throw? Dumb decision and Evans is now down on the field

2 and 10

Short throw to Staes gets a couple

3 and 7

Ball was high to Staes on the out. He was open and could have converted. Frustrating 3 and out

Muffed the punt, but Branch recovered it

1 and 10 at the SC 30

Ball off high to Rice

2 and 10

TFL on the screen by BMo. Blitz by Harper forced the ball out quick

3 and long

Tried to dump it down to the back and Sneed makes a heck of a play and almost picks it

3 and out for SC

ND takes over at their 25 after the punt

Screen to Faison gets 1

Staes out there at TE in 11 personnel. No Evans at the moment

2 and 9

Love gets 4 on the delayed counter

3 and 5

Tried to hit Ford out of the backfield and Bullock with a great open field tackle to make the stop

Another 3 and out

Branch with a big return. Onye ran him down to the SC 40. Not a good punt by McFerson who has been hit and miss today

1 and 10

Mesh for SC, get called on a pick play.

OPI makes it 1 and 25

BMo gets called for PI to give them those 15 back. Tried a deep shot to Rice and he had a step and BMo didn't want to take the chance

1 and 10

Reverse to Branch is snuffed out by ND. Great job all around where Branch ran a long way to get 0

2 and 10

BMo gotta come up and tackle better than that. Soft on the hitch and 1st down

PA and sack by ND. Bertrand first there, cleaned up by Marist. 2 and 22, Williams found the TE on a touch throw to get about 25

2 and 5 after a Williams scramble

Freeze speed option and they got ND out leveraged. Touchdown and SC is back in this

ND's offense better wake the heck up. 24-13 ND

Ford with another good return.

ND 1 and 10 at the 32

Evans back

Inside draw gets 7

2 and 3

Inside and great patience on the Power. Picks up 4

1 and 10

Good feet gets a couple for Estime

2 and 8

Tried to look for Love on the wheel, covered and he hit Evans who gets the 1st

1 and 10

DT got in backside there for a stuff. Didn't see who blew that block

2 and 10

Deep post to Tyree for the touchdown!

Good protection, 19 got cooked

ND back up 18

31-13

Comeback route for about 15 to Washington to start the drive

Cross batted down the pass at the line on 1st down

2 and 10

Nice job by Kiser and Onye playing their gaps, and getting a stop

3 and 6

ND called a timeout, they didn't like the look they had vs SC. Probably a good idea rather than getting burned

That's a good throw over the middle, rush couldn't get there in time

Quick to the line and Marist perfect timing beats the guard for the sack

2 and 18

Another sack! Mills got the pressure and forced Williams to spin into NaNa

3 and 28

Screen and USC waves the white flag. Great stop for the ND defense

False start on the punt

8 seconds left in the 3rd Q

Big punt goes out inside the ND 10

Big hole for Audric gets 14 to end the Q

1 and 10 at the ND 21 when we are back

1 and 10

4 inside for Estime

2 and 6

Pitch to the boundary only gets 1

3 and 5

Stick route to Staes converts. ND needed that in the worst way. Gotta chew up some clock

1 and 10

Estime too patient on the toss. Had a chance to hit it and waited too long. Only got 1

2 and 9

Screen, SC is all over it to Price. Thought they would get pressured and didn't

3 and long

Tried to fit it into Greathouse after being flushed right. Had to come back to the football more. PBU

Branch with a big return. The long line drive bit them, but he's just special. TD saved by McFerson

Ball in the red zone

Nothing inside to Jones. JR T with the finish, NaNa attacked the mesh

2 and 9

Jones again gets about 7

3 and 2

Jones converts on the give, but curious by SC here because they have lost about 2 minutes for three plays

1 and goal

Slant broken up by BMo. Terrific finish on the slant

Williams improvises and Rice came back to the ball and they score

Just too long to cover the ND defense

31-20 ND

JD Price to the house!!!!! Fantastic cut back by him

How bout them apples? ND has a return game too

And like that, ND back up 18

8:50 to go

Branch cut down by Antonio Carter and a hold on SC on top of it

1 and 10 at the SC 10

Running the ball with Lloyd and he gets stuffed

2 and 11

False start on the entire SC line

2 and long

Williams QB draw gets penalty yards back

3 and 9

Sneed almost got to Williams, but delivered over the middle for a 1st

1 and 10

Sack after Mills almost got him off the stunt, Harper finished it

2 and 12

Harper blitz forces the quick throw and incomplete

3 and 12

False start on the WR Singer

3 and 17

Screen and they only get 8

4 and 9 and it's ball game if they get this stop

Freeman calls a timeout. Under five minutes to play

Sneed gets the sack!

This one is done.

ND can close it out with authority after this.

A simply dominant performance by Al Golden's defense

Audric gets it to 4th and inches

ND kicks the FG to go up 21 with 3:40 to go

Nothing for Branch on the return

1 and 10

Scoop and score X Watts have yourself a night!

SC with full on nightmare fuel. ND close to dropping a 50 spot on them

48-20 ND

Miller Moss in the game now for SC

Run inside gets 11

Another fumble by SC and JJB recovers it

It was Xavier Watts again who is having the game of a lifetime

ND taking knees to end this game.

Yowza what a response from the Irish after last week

ND's won all phases. Dominated on defense. were great on special teams.

A special night for ND in what was a must-win in a certain sense