Jadarian Price scored on a tackle-breaking 100-yard kickoff return in the third quarter, Jeremiyah Love rushed for a career-high 228 yards and a score, and No. 13 Notre Dame beat No. 20 Southern California a 34-24 loss on Saturday night.
Love’s previous rushing best was 157 yards in a 56-30 win over Purdue earlier this season.
Trailing 24-21 in the third quarter, Notre Dame (5-2) scored 13 unanswered points.
USC (5-2) took a 24-21 lead on a 59-yard TD pass from Jordan Maiava to Ja’Kobi Lane. Maiava also connected with Lane for the 2-point conversion.
Price then broke two tackles and accelerated through a seam in the coverage for his 100-yard score to give the lead back to Notre Dame.
Notre Dame quarterback C.J. Carr was 16 of 26 for 136 yards and one TD. He rushed 1 yard for Notre Dame’s final score.
Notre Dame’s defense came up big in the second half. Christian Gray picked off a pass at the Notre Dame 45-yard line after Price’s return, after getting beat for a touchdown, a 2-point conversion and getting flagged twice for pass interference.
After USC reached the Notre Dame 37 with 11:11 left in the fourth quarter, Adon Shuler knocked the ball away from Makai Lemon on a run and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa recovered to end the threat.
Notre Dame also stopped USC on a fourth-and-1 with 6:02 left in the game, and Luke Talich intercepted Maiava with 1:06 to play.
USC played without running backs Eli Sanders and Waymond Jordan, who were injured in last week’s 31-13 victory against Michigan. The Trojans were limited to 68 yards rushing against Notre Dame.
Maiava picked up the slack with 22 of 42 passing for 328 yards and two touchdowns.
The takeaway
Notre Dame boosted its College Football Playoff hopes with the victory, and should move up in the rankings.
USC will likely tumble out of the Top 25.
Up next
Notre Dame has a bye week and then plays at Boston College on Nov. 1.
USC also has a bye week. The Trojans return to action at Nebraska on Nov. 1.
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