Notre Dame Outlasts USC 49-35, Secures Spot in College Football Playoff
With a College Football Playoff berth on the line, Notre Dame outlasted USC 49-35 in a back-and-forth battle in the Coliseum Saturday.
“This is what it is all about,” head coach Marcus Freeman said. “We’ll worry about the future later.”
Christian Gray was getting picked on all game.
After a stellar opening drive that saw Gray make a tackle in open space to force a turnover on downs, the Trojans kept going after him.
Gray committed two pass interference penalties and gave up a touchdown in the fourth quarter that drew USC back within one score.
The Trojans had the ball with a chance to tie the game and were deep in Irish territory with less than four minutes to go.
So who else to make the play that secured a spot in the playoff than Christian Gray?
As Jayden Maiava dropped back he sent a ball sailing towards the right pylon, and Gray made the play of his young career. The sophomore cornerback made a spinning interception, gathered himself and went 99 yards for a pick-six, putting the Irish up 42-28.
But the USC still wouldn’t lay down once it got the ball back. Maiava threw the Trojans all the way down the field right back to where they were just a few minutes earlier — at the goal line with another chance to score.
He must’ve been feeling some serious déjà vu.
Maiava threw a duck into the endzone that was intercepted by Xavier Watts and once again brought all the way back for a 100 yard pick-six, sealing the victory for the Irish.
"The statement we made is we won a rivalry game against a dang good football team," Freeman said.
Let’s take you back to the beginning of Saturday’s clash.
It’s no secret the Irish haven’t faced this much offensive firepower up to this point in the season, and on the Trojans opening drive, they were moving. Maiava hit Makai Lemon for an early first down before Woody Marks hit a hole with a quick burst for 14 yards. The senior running back has been on a hot streak with four-consecutive games with 100 yards from scrimmage.
USC showed off its big play ability when Maiava found Zachariah Branch with plenty of space for fun for 26 yards. Then Gray showed off his impact. The sophomore cornerback batted down a pass over the middle and had a strong tackle out in space on Branch to force a turnover on downs.
Jeremiyah Love wasted no time in introducing the Southern California Trojans to some tough, physical South Bend football. Love opened the game with a monster effort, pushing the pile for 19 yards. Leonard used his arm and legs to pick up a couple of third downs. One being a six-yard out route to Kris Mitchell to convert a much needed first down.
Love continued his physical running with another leg pounding run that picked up nine and a seven-yard blast that ended by delivering a vicious hit stick to a Trojan defender. A pair of Leonard keepers put Notre Dame down at the USC one-yard line before Love was rewarded for his tough runs by punching it in for six.
The Trojans didn’t have the same success moving the ball on their next drive. Marks started strong with a nine-yard run, but after hitting his head hard on the ground was sent to the medical tent for evaluation — he did not return.
His backup Quinten Joyner made a quick impact, finding an edge and running for 12. USC’s drive stalled after the Irish dialed up pressure on third down, forcing Maiava out of the pocket before his throw landed out of bounds.
Leonard continued having early success moving the ball through the air, hitting Jayden Thomas for eight on a crossing route. Thomas caught another pass for 14, but after the snag, the receiver got popped by Jacobe Covington, losing the ball which was recovered by a leaping Easton Mascarenas-Arnold.
After the sudden change, Maiava hit Duce Robinson for an 11-yard strike, and added a six-yard rush to get down to the red zone. Facing pressure on first down, Maiava floated a pass off his back foot to Joyner, who snagged the ball one-handed and ran for 13 yards. Joyner followed that up with a strong six-yard run before Maiava sneaked in from the one to tie the game at seven.
With the momentum clearly shifting the Irish needed to mix things up. After an apparent three and out, Freeman pulled a trick out of his hat as Tyler Buchner caught the misdirected punt and floated it out to Mitchell Evans for a 19-yard gain and a first down.
Notre Dame continued the attack when facing another fourth down that same drive. This time Freeman kept the offense on the field and Leonard rolled to the left, finding Jordan Faison for eight and another first down. Love continued to roll, this time stiff arming a Trojan and gaining steam for a 19-yard rush.
The Irish offense eventually stalled out inside the red zone, setting up Mitch Jeter for a 27-yard kick. After missing two last week against Army, Jeter’s struggles continued as his kick pinged off the right post to keep the game knotted at seven.
Maiava couldn’t get much going off the missed kick as he was brought down for a five-yard sack by Gabriel Rubio. His 11-yard screen to Branch on third down wasn’t enough to move the chains, and the Trojans were forced to punt it away.
Leonard and Co. were facing yet another fourth down on the following drive, and Freeman seemed fully intent on keeping his offense on the field. The quarterback kept the snap and lunged for the first down as the Irish moved to 3/3 on fourth down conversions.
Love continued to show out on the west coast, pulling out his signature move. The running back hurdled a Trojan defender and never broke stride, taking the screen pass 20 yards down the sideline. Coming off the explosive play, Leonard found Eli Raridon on a fade route in the endzone and connected for a 12-yard touchdown strike to pull ahead by seven.
USC didn’t seem content in letting the clock run out as Maiava found Lemon streaking down the left sideline for a 35-yard connection. Head coach Lincoln Riley dialed up another deep ball and caught Gray looking as he was forced to commit a pass interference penalty near the endzone. Maiava hit Lane with a bullet in the seam for a 12-yard strike, tying the game at 14 at the half.
Love started the second half the same way he started the first, with a tough, grinding run for 10 yards that moved the chains. Leonard then was able to roll out to his right and hit Mitchell on third down for a 19-yard pickup.
Later that drive the Irish found the Trojans sending a heavy blitz and Jadarian Price exploded through the line and no one was there to catch him. The running back stampeded down the field and into the USC endzone for a 36-yard touchdown, putting the Irish up seven.
The second-half lead didn’t last very long. Maiava took advantage of a blown coverage and dropped in a 30-yard dime to Robinson. Two plays later Gray got caught chasing a receiver for the second time and was called for yet another defensive pass interference. After a dump off the Walker Lyons for 11 and a 14-yard burst by Joyner, Maiava answered with his second rushing touchdown, going up and over the line to score.
As the Irish got the ball back it seemed like a shootout was developing in LA. Leonard started the drive with a dump off to Love, who made two defenders miss on his way to a 17-yard pick up. The quarterback then showcased his legs, picking up nine on a scramble up the middle. Price dove through the line on the next play to pick up the first down, and a face mask penalty by Greedy Vance Jr. added on another 15 yards to the run.
Leonard continued the drive with an explosive scramble that went for 24 and inside the USC 10. The signal caller polished off the drive going headfirst into the Trojan endzone for a touchdown to regain the lead for Notre Dame.
For the first time in a handful of drives, USC was only able to pick up one first down before the Irish defense forced a punt that bounced into the endzone for a touchback.
With a chance to put Notre Dame up two scores for the first time all game mid-way through the third quarter, Leonard delivered the Trojans an early Christmas present. The quarterback’s deep ball was floated and intercepted by Anthony Beavers Jr., giving USC a new breath of life.
USC started its possession at the Notre Dame 36 yard-line but couldn’t do much of anything. Facing a 4th and three, Maiava sent a deep ball that would have been caught if not for Watts coming in just at the right time to force the incompletion and save the Irish following Leonard’s interception.
Notre Dame’s offense didn’t seem to hang their heads for long as Jadarian Price took advantage of a massive hole through the line for a 35 yard gain. The running back crossed the 100 yard mark with only eight carries. Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock also seemed to still have full confidence in Leonard as he dialed up a perfect deep ball to Mitchell Evans at the front pylon for a 23-yard touchdown.
"From the time he got here, I knew he was special,” Freeman said. “I knew from the beginning he was the right quarterback to lead this program."
The Irish finally had some breathing room.
The Trojans were still fighting as the final seconds ticked off the third quarter when Maiava hit Kyle Ford up the seam for a 29-yard strike. Now at midfield and in a dangerous situation regarding the scoreboard, Maiava took yet another shot at Grey, and after two pass interference penalties, this time he was ready. The cornerback got up and battled away the ball intended for Duce Robinson, forcing a USC punt.
With a chance to possibly deliver a death blow, the Trojan defense held strong deep in its own end, bringing down Leonard for a third down sack and forcing the first Irish punt of the game.
With the short field, head coach Lincoln Riley and Maiava wasted no time going on the attack. The quarterback delivered a perfect ball over the middle to Makai Lemon for 24 yards and a back shoulder fade to Kyron Hudson to put the Trojans on the doorstep of the endzone in just two plays. After some shaky play calling at the goaline, Maiava delivered a strike into the endzone to Ja’Kobi Lane to bring the game back to within seven.
Notre Dame once again couldn’t muster much of anything on offense, and after a USC holding penalty gave the Irish new life, they were forced to punt it away for the second-consecutive possession.
The Irish will now look ahead to the weekend of Dec. 20-22 where they will host a first round game of the College Football Playoff in South Bend.