Los Angeles, CA – USC was in the red zone with a chance to score a game-tying touchdown when Jayden Maiava threw a pass to Kyron Hudson that was intercepted by Christian Gray and returned 99 yards for a touchdown.
Two minutes later, Maiava threw another interception that was returned 100 yards for a touchdown to seal No. 5 Notre Dame’s 49-35 win over USC Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
“Excruciating loss. Really touch there at the end,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said. “We battled today, like we have all year. We just didn’t play quite good enough.”
Maiava passed for 360 yards with three touchdowns and rushed for two more touchdowns in his first loss as a starter. USC fell to 6-6 to end the season.
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah scored from a yard out to give the Irish a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. USC opened the second quarter with a 5-play, 37-yard drive that was capped by a 1-yard touchdown run from Maiava.
In the final minute of the second quarter, Riley Leonard connected with Eli Raridon for a12-yard touchdown and a 14-7 lead. USC drive down the field in five plays and Maiava threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Kobi Lane with 24 seconds left in the first half to tie it 14-14.
Notre Dame regained the lead in the third quarter on a 36-yard touchdown run from Jadarian Price. USC came back to tie it once again with Maiava’s 1-yard touchdown run.
Leonard scored on a 2-yard run and threw a 23-yard touchdown to give Notre Dame a 35-21 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Maiava threw his third touchdown of the game to Lane to make it a one-score game but the two late costly pick-6’s put the game out of reach.
“This team has put their heart and soul on the line,” Riley said. “Anybody that has watched us play, you can’t deny that. And to go through emotionally what we have and still continue to do it, you can’t question this football team.”
The Trojans destination for a bowl game will be announced on Dec. 8.
