Live updates, score, analysis: USC at Notre Dame football
The greatest intersectional rivalry in college football is on full display Saturday night in South Bend. The No. 10 USC Trojans (6-0) are on the road against the No. 21 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-2).
Stay here for live updates and analysis throughout the game.
First quarter
• Notre Dame won the toss and deferred. USC led by quarterback Caleb Williams is up first on offense.
• One play after converting on third and long, Williams back-footed a throw over the middle with pressure in his face. It was his worst mistake of the season, and it ended up in the hands of Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts. He brought it back to the USC 12.
• Three plays after the pick, Irish quarterback Sam Hartman connected with running back Gi’Bran Payne on a short pass in the flat. Payne powered across the goal line to get the scoring started.
SCORE: Irish 7, Trojans 0 with 11:30 left in the quarter
• The crowd went absolutely bonkers for an appearance from Irish legend Joe Montana.
• The Notre Dame defense started the game with an INT of Williams and then forced the Trojans offense to punt. Not bad. Not bad at all. Watts is flying around all over the field.
• One play after offensive pass interference was rightfully called on USC wide receiver Dorian Singer, Notre Dame corner Benjamin Morrison was called for illegal hands to the face. First and 25 on the Notre Dame 39 turned into first and 10 on the Notre Dame 13. Just a terrible penalty to take for the Irish.
• The Irish defense bowed up anyway and held the Trojans to a short field goal. Corner Cam Hart had a bone-chilling hit on third down.
SCORE: Irish 7, Trojans 3 with 1:13 left in the quarter
Second quarter
• A nice Notre Dame drive stalled in the red zone. The Irish had to settle for a 36-yard field goal from Spencer Shrader. Wide receiver Jordan Faison had two touches on the drive, but he was not on the field for a critical third and seven that the Irish could not convert on.
SCORE: Irish 10, Trojans 3 with 12:19 left in the quarter
• The Trojans were on the move, thanks in large part to Notre Dame linebacker Jaylen Sneed running into the punter. That created a fourth and one, and Williams converted with his legs. USC faced fourth and short later in the drive, and Irish linebacker JD Bertrand shot through the line of scrimmage for a tackle for loss.
• The Notre Dame offense just cannot get anything going. With five minutes left in the first half, the Irish only have 78 total yards.
• Watts’ second interception of the game and subsequent return set the Irish offense up inside the USC five. All Notre Dame needed was one play to pay off the play. Audric Estimé scored from three yards out.
SCORE: Irish 17, Trojans 3 with 4:14 left in the quarter
• Caleb Williams has been intercepted three times in one game for the first time in his career. Benjamin Morrison got this one.
• Hartman made his two best plays of the night in succession with a 24-yard passing play to wideout Rico Flores Jr. and then a savvy 12-yard scamper. Estimé finished the drive off with another short touchdown.
SCORE: Irish 24, Trojans 3 with 1:30 left in the quarter
• Notre Dame freshman Boubacar Traore sacked Williams with time expiring in the first half, but the Irish were celebrating in the backfield while the Trojans were lining up to snap the ball. The Irish had to call a timeout with two seconds left. The Trojans used that extra snap to kick a 48-yard field goal.
HALFTIME: Irish 24, Trojans 6
Third quarter
• Notre Dame goes three and out to start the second half. Insult to injury: tight end Mitchell Evans was shaken up after being targeted on the first play of the half. He left the field rather gingerly and went immediately to the injury tent.
• The Irish defense is still swarming. Morrison made a tackle for loss on second down, and Sneed had a pass breakup on third down. USC also went three and out to begin the second half.
• Notre Dame went three and out again.
• USC wasn’t going to go all game without a touchdown. The Trojans’ first comes with 7:20 left in the third. Running back Marshawn Lloyd took a pitch 31 yards to the end zone off the right edge. Notre Dame had USC at first and 25 in the drive. Morrison wiped that away with a pass interference infraction. Then USC gained 21 yards on second and 20. The Irish defense had its chances to get off the field once again but couldn’t do so this time.
SCORE: Irish 24, Trojans 13 with 7:20 left in the quarter
• Hartman hit senior wide receiver Chris Tyree streaking across the middle of the field with an absolutely perfect pass. Tyree sprinted and dove into the end zone. The Irish offense badly needed that. The TD was preceded by four Estimé rushes and one short pass to Evans. Then the deep ball was dialed up, and it worked. Beautifully.
SCORE: Irish 31, Trojans 13 with 3:54 left in the quarter
• Notre Dame has sacked Williams four times through three quarters. The Trojans offense has not looked like itself all night, and that’s mostly because the offensive line has just been really, really bad. Give credit to the Irish defensive front, too. It has been swarming all over the place.
Fourth quarter
• Notre Dame punter Bryce McFerson temporarily saved a touchdown by chasing down USD speedster Zachariah Branch inside the Irish 20, but the Trojans ultimately scored a touchdown anyway. It’s not quote over in South Bend. Williams scrambled around and found Brenden Rice for a seven-yard TD.
SCORE: Irish 31, Trojans 20 with 9:04 left in the game
• What an incredible response from Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price. He takes a kickoff 99 yards to the house. It’s back to a three-score game in South Bend.
SCORE: Irish 38, Trojans 20 with 8:50 left in the game
• USC turned the ball over on downs after the Irish’s sixth sack of the night. It led to a chip shot field goal for the Irish.
SCORE: Irish 41, Trojans 20 with 3:40 left
• Xavier Watts continued his unreal game with a scoope and score of a fumble forced by Cam Hart.
SCORE: Irish 48, Trojans 20 with 3:27 left
• Watts put his final stamp on the game with a forced fumble. Notre Dame ran out the clock from there.
FINAL SCORE: Irish 48, Trojans 20
