What we learned about Notre Dame football in its gut-check win over USC
SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 18: Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jadarian Price (24) celebrates after running the ball for a touchdown during the game between Southern California Trojans Southern California Trojans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish on
What a gross game. It was a gross, rainy slog of a football game at Notre Dame Stadium.
But, when No. 13 Notre Dame needed a play, it made multiple. That’s what led to a 34-24 win over No. 20 USC.
Here’s what we learned about Notre Dame’s gut-check win over USC.
Gut-check time: Notre Dame responds
Notre Dame is far from perfect. There are too many mental lapses from this young team. CJ Carr is far from a finished product. The defense was leaky for key plays, including a 60-yard touchdown from Ja’Kobi Lang.
But, through seven games, Notre Dame is showing its mettle.
The defense needed to get better. It did. The Irish defense forced two fourth-quarter turnovers on a fumble and an interception. Better yet, they turned USC away on a key turnover on downs with about six minutes left in this game.
The offense was blistering hot, but it faced a team with top-level athletes in USC on Saturday. Arkansas and Purdue, USC is not. Still, Notre Dame ran for first downs on third and long, gashed the Trojans’ defense on the ground and found key first downs through the air.
When the rain added an extra factor to the game, Notre Dame wasn’t the one that blinked. The Irish responded. When USC took a third-quarter lead, it didn’t even last one play. Jadarian Price responded with a 102-yard kick return for a score.
Notre Dame, which struggled in short-yardage situations, converted multiple fourth-and-short plays, including a one-yard touchdown run by CJ Carr that was reminiscent of Riley Leonard.
USC, with its turnovers, blinked. Notre Dame held firm.
The many gears of Jeremiyah Love
The Irish’s best player was at his best on Saturday.
In the rain, Love was a force. His first carry went for 63 yards. His second carry went for a touchdown. He had over 100 yards at half in a game that Notre Dame needed to win, and badly.
There were times when USC got right in Love’s face. They were talking smack to him, and it just set the running back off.
He had 171 rushing yards midway through the third quarter. Love went around and through USC defenders. When he got a head of steam on stretch plays, Love required multiple defenders to bring down.
Love was even chirping to the USC sideline – yes, the entire sideline – at the end of the third quarter.
Notre Dame’s best player was earning every line of praise he had ever gotten before tonight. All of the superlatives apply and there are still more superlatives we learn about Love every week.
This week, Love proved the only true way to stop him is by keeping the Notre Dame offense on the sidelines.
Sloppiness hurts both sides
In the first half, CJ Carr tried to make some magic.
He spun out of pressure and tried to keep the play alive. He ended up throwing an interception near the goal line. That took points off the board.
USC tried some trickery in the fourth quarter, giving the ball to Makai Lemon on an end-around play. Lemon, somehow, fumbled the ball. That gave the Irish the ball at midfield, and they capitalized with a touchdown.
When the rain picked up, Jayden Maiava threw a bad interception, too.
It was a slog of a football game.
Notre Dame-USC rivalry can’t end here
This was the last scheduled game in this rivalry. It’s a college football staple, and while nothing is sacred anymore in this present-day college football landscape it’s a shame there’s no assurance this rivalry will continue.
The two programs are on the rise and have two of the premier college football coaches in the game.
The two are two of the most storied college football programs in the history of the sport.
This rivalry will continue, but the two programs need to find a way to do it. It’s not on anyone else except the athletic directors.