South Bend, Ind. – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish held on to bragging rights in one of college football’s most storied rivalries, defeating USC 34-24 on Saturday night at Notre Dame Stadium. The Fighting Irish (5-2) took total control after trailing 24-21 in the third quarter, scoring 13 unanswered points to seal a crucial victory that helps their College Football Playoff aspirations. For the Trojans (5-2), the loss dims their postseason hopes and adds urgency to an already uncertain future for the series, with no additional match-ups scheduled beyond 2025.

The game, the 96th meeting between the programs and the 20th anniversary of USC’s infamous “Bush Push,” unfolded amid drizzling rain that briefly delayed kickoff but couldn’t stop the electric atmosphere in South Bend. Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman, whose team has now won three straight in the series, emphasized the physical toll of the matchup before the game: “This has got to be a physical, bloody game.” The team bought in and the Irish dictated terms up front, limiting USC to just 68 rushing yards while running wild on the USC front.

Key Stats

The Irish ran all over USC, showcasing the tandem of running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, who led the backfield to 306 total rushing yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback CJ Carr, added 136 passing yards, a rushing touchdown, and a passing touchdown.

USC leaned heavily on the arm of quarterback Jayden Maiava, who completed 22 of 42 passes for 328 yards and two scores but faced constant pressure, including two sacks and two interceptions. The Trojans’ rushing woes were exacerbated by injuries to key backs Eli Sanders and Waymond Jordan, leaving a committee of rushers to net only 68 total yards. Notre Dame’s defense forced three turnovers and stuffed USC on fourth down late, holding them to 4-of-12 on third downs overall.

The Irish’s 2 interceptions played a pivotal role, with Christian Gray’s pick in the fourth quarter setting up a game-sealing drive.

Love’s Heroics Steal the Show

The night belonged to Jeremiyah Love, whose explosive plays evoked memories of his 98-yard sprint in last year’s playoff run. Trailing 7-0 early after USC’s opening 10-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 10-yard touchdown pass from Maiava to Lake McRee, Love answered. On the ensuing possession, the Love broke free for 63 yards and followed that with a 12-yard TD run. Love is back in the Heisman Trophy mix after going for 228 yards on 24 carries.

USC took the lead in the third quarter, a 24-21 lead on a 59-yard bomb from Maiava to Ja’Kobi Lane. Then USC made a crucial error, they kicked to Jadarian Price. Breaking tackles and showing his explosive speed, Price retuned the kick 101 yards and the Irish never looked back.

Defensively, the Irish bent but never broke. After USC reached the Notre Dame 37 with 11:11 left, linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa stripped Makai Lemon on a jet sweep, with Adon Shuler recovering. Gray, rebounding from an earlier touchdown allowed and two pass-interference flags, undercut a Maiava floater at the Irish 45 for a big interception. Safety Luke Talich’s late interception on a desperation heave from Maiava iced the win, sending the stadium into celebration.

Freeman’s Reflections

In his postgame press conference, Head Coach Marcus Freeman lauded his team’s effort. “We’ve never strayed away from that. That’s our foundation. That’s who we have to be,” he said of the emphasis on toughness and trench control that stifled USC’s run game. On forcing the Trojans into a one-dimensional passing attack, Freeman added, “We challenged them to say, ‘Let’s make them one-dimensional, right? Obviously, they had some passes, and that was the challenge. Like, let’s make them one-dimensional, and they were probably okay with us making them one-dimensional. And they had some success, but our guys kept battling, and that’s what it takes to have success.”

Freeman also touched on the emotional weight of the win, especially with the series’ future in limbo. “It’s not just because I’m at Notre Dame, right? I think the rivalry between Notre Dame and USC is a great rivalry and one of the best, and I think it’s great for college football and the two institutions to continue this rivalry.”

The Home Stretch

Both teams now head into bye weeks (Notre Dame hosts Boston College on Nov. 1, while USC travels to Nebraska) the Irish sit squarely in the playoff conversation with both losses coming from top-10 teams by a total of 4 points. For Freeman’s group, Saturday’s triumph was more than a W, they take home the games traditional prize, Jeweled Shillelagh, which they will own until USC agrees to renew the rivalry.

“Cowboy Regg” – Co-Host of the “Sons of the Star” Podcast. – Co-editor at “We Like Sportz”Follow “Cowboy Regg” on X @ Irish_Cowboy88