Notre Dame rides Price’s 100-yard return and a dominant run game to stun USC in South Bend thriller.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Twenty years after the legendary “Bush Push” thriller that lifted USC over Notre Dame 34–31, the two storied programs delivered another classic under the cloudy South Bend skies on Saturday night. But this time, it was the Irish who walked away with the momentum and the win, storming back to top the Trojans in a dramatic, turnover-filled finish.
In a top-20 showdown that lived up to the hype, Notre Dame used a dominant ground game and a 100-yard kickoff return from Jadarian Price to erase a late deficit and seize control. The Fighting Irish scored 13 unanswered points in the second half, rallying from a 24–21 hole to hand USC its second straight loss.
USC quarterback Jayden Maiava had flashes of brilliance, going 22-for-42 for 328 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. His 59-yard strike to Ja’Kobi Lane early in the third quarter gave USC the lead, followed by a two-point connection with Lane again. But critical mistakes — including back-to-back turnovers and a costly fumble by Makai Lemon — doomed the Trojans down the stretch.
Notre Dame leaned on its backfield duo all night. Jadarian Price and Jeremiyah Love combined for nearly 200 rushing yards in the first half alone, setting the tone for a balanced Irish attack. Love’s 63-yard touchdown in the first quarter electrified the home crowd, while Price’s 16-yard score in the second helped Notre Dame keep pace.
USC opened strong with a crisp 10-play, 75-yard drive, capped by a Lake McRee touchdown from Maiava, but inconsistency on the ground and costly penalties stalled momentum. Defensive end Braylan Shelby’s interception gave USC a spark before halftime, yet the Trojans settled for a field goal instead of capitalizing on the turnover.
By the final whistle, Notre Dame (6–2) looked like a playoff contender finding its stride, while USC (5–3) faced another reality check in a season slipping away. Both teams head into their bye week with plenty to fix — and plenty to play for come November.
D. Wright Take Away
Both teams will rest on a bye next week before returning November 1st. USC will likely slide out of the Top 25, while Notre Dame makes its case to climb back into the College Football Playoff conversation. Twenty years after the Bush Push, South Bend once again belonged to the Irish.
