Notre Dame Drowns USC in Rain-Soaked Rivalry, 34-24

📸 Credit: @ndfootball on X

Under a relentless downpour that turned Notre Dame Stadium into a slippery surface, the No. 13 Fighting Irish channeled their inner leprechaun to outlast the No. 20 USC Trojans, 34-24, in a masterpiece of college football grit. The victory marked Notre Dame's third straight win over its Pacific Coast rivals and the seventh of eight in the last eight home meetings, extending a streak that has USC fans muttering about coaching woes. But this wasn't just another tally in the ledger; it was a playoff lifeline snatched from the jaws of defeat, powered by a record-shattering ground game and opportunistic special teams in conditions that were less than ideal. Despite the chaos, Notre Dame improved to 5-2, keeping their at-large playoff bid hopes alive.

A Sloppy Start, But the Irish Find Their Legs

The Trojans, riding a three-game win streak into hostile territory, wasted no time asserting themselves. Quarterback Jayden Maiava, undeterred by the drizzle, orchestrated a crisp 10-play, 75-yard opening drive, capping it with a 10-yard dart to tight end Lake McRee for a 7-0 lead just 3:51 into the contest. Kicker Ryon Sayeri later tacked on a 42-yard field goal to push the advantage to 10-7, as Notre Dame's early possession sputtered on a nine-yard sack of freshman quarterback CJ Carr.

But the Irish responded on their next snap, running back Jeremiyah Love—a junior phenom—broke free for a 63-yard run, setting up his own 12-yard touchdown plunge to knot the score at 7-7 with under a minute left in the first quarter. Love wasn't done; his 228-yard eruption on 24 carries would shatter Notre Dame Stadium's single-game rushing record (306 total yards for the Irish, a mark dating back to the venue's 1930 opening), exposing USC's soft run defense.

The second quarter saw Jadarian Price rumble for 32 yards on a key carry before scoring from 16 yards out to flip the lead to 14-10. USC clawed back with a 24-yard Sayeri field goal, trimming the deficit to 14-13 at the break. A late sack by Notre Dame linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa on Maiava provided a silver lining for the home crowd, as the rain began to hammer down.

Second Half Dominance

Halftime couldn't quench the Trojans' fire. Trailing 21-16 midway through the third after Carr's six-yard strike to Will Pauling, Maiava unleashed a 59-yard bomb to Ja'Kobi Lane, which vaulted USC to a 24-21 lead and sent ripples of panic through the golden-domed faithful. 

Fifteen seconds. That's all it took for Notre Dame to flip the script—and the game. On the ensuing kickoff, Jadarian Price raced 100 yards untouched for a house call, his second such score of the season. The missed extra point left the Irish up 27-24, but the damage was done: USC's sideline deflated as the rain-soaked crowd erupted.

The fourth quarter belonged to Notre Dame's defense, which slammed the door shut on the USC offense. Cornerback Christian Gray's interception of an underthrown Maiava pass set the Irish at USC's 44, though kicker Noah Burnette shanked a 31-yarder to keep the Trojans alive. Maiava answered with a 42-yard strike to Makai Lemon, but disaster struck on the next snap—a botched trick reverse pass where Lemon fumbled after being swarmed, a play Riley later lambasted as "stupid." Seven plays later, Carr bulldozed in from two yards out to stretch the lead to 34-24. Maiava would later be picked off by Luke Talich on third-and-17. Carr took two knees, and the clock expired on USC's comeback dreams.

Players of the Game

Offense

• Jeremiyah Love: 228 yards, 1 TD , 

Defense

• Adon Shuler: 11 TOT, 2 TFL, 1 PD

Special Teams

• Jadarian Price: 87 yards, 1 TD, 1 kickoff Return TD

Looking Ahead

For Notre Dame, this sloppy-but-satisfying W leads to a much-needed bye week. Yet, short-yardage woes and flag-happy tendencies, the Irish know they have a lot to work on this coming week. Next up? The Boston College Eagles on November 8 (Time: TBD)

Go Irish!