USC quarterback Caleb Williams made a case for the Heisman trophy with one passing
touchdown and three rushing touchdowns in a 38-27 win over rival Notre Dame Saturday at the
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The Trojans snapped a 4-game losing streak to Notre Dame and finished the season 11-1 with
a shot at the College Football Playoff. No. 5 USC will play Utah in the PAC-12 Championship on
Friday, Dec.2 in Las Vegas.
“Great win. It’s fun seeing the Coli like that,” USC head coach Lincoln Riley said. “Sitting up
there at the press conference almost close to 12 months ago just imagining that, and these guys
brought it to life.”
USC took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter when Caleb Williams hit Tahj Washington for an 11-yard
TD in the first quarter. After the Trojans forced a punt, Denis Lynch nailed a 31-yard field goal to
give USC a 10-0 lead with 3:29 left in the first quarter.
Notre Dame answered with a 22-yard touchdown from Drew Payne to Michael Mayer. USC
came right back with a Caleb Williams 5-yard run to give USC a 17-7 lead with 34 seconds left
in the first half.
USC opened the third quarter with a Raleek Brown 5-yard touchdown run but the Irish cut the
lead 24-14 with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Pyne to Deion Colzie. Williams scored on a 3-
yard run to extend the Trojans lead 31-14 in the fourth quarter.
The Irish would not go down easy as Logan Diggs scored from five yards out to cut the lead 31-21 Williams scored his third touchdown of the game when he faked the handoff and went up the middle for a 16-yard touchdown.
“I think we’re as good as any team,” Williams said. “The outside world is going to say what they
want to say, and we are 11-1 right now, so obviously it doesn’t matter.”
Austin Jones rushed for a career-high 154 yards on 25 carries. It was his third 100-yard rushing
game of the season.
