If this indeed was Charlie Weis’ swan song, it sounded a lot like one of those “American Idol” outtakes – off-key and painful to the senses.
Offensively inept and defensively worn out, Notre Dame limped to the regular-season finish line with a 38-3 defeat at rival USC, the Trojans’ seventh straight victory in the series.
USC’s dominating defense, the first in the nation since 2001 to average single digits in points allowed, was the story – not only did the Irish offense fail to sniff the end zone, but it didn’t even manage a first down until the final play of the third quarter.
Notre Dame managed to keep the score manageable until a second-quarter interception by USC’s Kaluka Maiava led to a 55-yard Joe McKnight touchdown run, the start of a precipitous downward spiral for the Fighting Irish.
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Photos by: Aaron Suozzi
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First Quarter: USC, 7-0
The night began in undesirable fashion for Jimmy Clausen, who was intercepted on the game’s third play by Cary Harris near midfield. Two plays later, Irish freshman Robert Blanton exacted his revenge, diving in front of a Mark Sanchez pass at the Notre Dame 42.
After an Irish punt, USC went back to work from its own 21-yard line and moved across midfield, advancing to the Notre Dame 18 on a 24-yard pass from Sanchez to DamIan Williams. Shortly thereafter, Stafon Johnson capped a 12-play, 79-yard drive with a 2-yard scoring run at the 4:06 mark.
Notre Dame went three and out again on its next drive, and the Trojans were again on the move as the period came to a close, picking up a first down at the Irish 48 on a 21-yard toss from Sanchez to Williams.
The Big Moment: The Trojans’ scoring drive ate up nearly half of the quarter, with Williams’ clutch 24-yard pickup on 3rd and 9 the play that kept things alive.
By The Numbers: USC dominated the opening frame, outgaining the Irish on the ground (26-8) and via the pass (92-13)...The long scoring march helped the Trojans maintain a solid cushion in time of possession, 9:47 to 5:13.
Second Quarter: USC, 24-0
Notre Dame’s defense came out with a bloodthirsty look, forcing losses on the first two plays of the quarter and getting USC to punt for the first time. Each team’s next possession resulted in a three-and-out, but just after the Irish picked up their best field position of the night at their 49-yard line, Clausen’s first-down pass was tipped by Rey Maualuga and fell into the hands of Maiava.
The Trojans cashed in immediately, as McKnight burst into the open field and dashed loose for a 55-yard touchdown with 9:05 left in the half.
Following yet another three-play adventure in nothingness by the Irish offense, USC moved right back into scoring position when a short toss to fullback Stanley Havili yielded 39 yards to the Notre Dame 12. Two plays later, Sanchez found Williams completely uncovered up the middle for a 12-yard score with 4:38 remaining.
Pinned back by penalties, Clausen needed to lunge forward to simply avoid a safety on third and long, and the Irish caught a break when Johnson’s apparent 35-yard punt return for a touchdown was wiped out by a pair of flags. Sanchez, though, connected with Patrick Turner for 30 yards to the Notre Dame 11 on 3rd and 15, eventually leading to a 35-yard field goal by David Buehler with 24 ticks on the first-half clock.
The Big Moment: Notre Dame looked to have the momentum after forcing two straight punts and getting the ball near midfield, but the tip-drill interception and McKnight’s breakaway sprint began to set the avalanche in motion.
By The Numbers: The statistical differential started to become laughable, as the Trojans expanded the margins in rushing (90 to minus-6) and passing (175-15)...Notre Dame totaled minus-12 yards in the quarter and finished the half without a first down...Time of possession remained heavily in USC’s favor, 18:09 to 11:51.
Third Quarter: USC, 31-0
The Irish defense kept grinding after the break, forcing an immediate USC punt, but another offensive set proved fruitless and Notre Dame again kicked it away. This time, the Trojans were able to get moving again, moving to the Irish 19-yard line on a completion to Ronald Johnson. Williams barreled his way to the 2 on the next play, but after a holding penalty Sanchez was intercepted at the goal line by Kyle McCarthy.
Taking over at its 8-yard line, the Notre Dame offense continued its empty quest for forward movement, and Eric Maust’s kick from the end zone set USC up at the Irish 44. A pass-interference penalty moved the ball to the 11-yard line, and three plays later, with 5:03 to go, C.J. Gable strolled in for a 1-yard score.
Following another exchange of punts, Notre Dame finally picked up its initial first down of the game on the final play of the quarter, as a James Aldridge run netted 15 yards to the Irish 45.
The Big Moment: Not so much a moment as a continuous lack of a moment, Notre Dame’s seemingly endless struggles on offense prohibited any type of swing in momentum.
By The Numbers: If nothing else, the Irish got back on the plus side in rushing yardage, but USC still maintained a sizable edge in that category, 118-18...Passing yardage also remained very much uneven in USC’s favor (242-20), as did the possession time (27:12 to 17:48).
Fourth Quarter: USC, 38-3
The Irish crossed into Trojan territory for the first time, and Aldridge again moved the sticks with a hard 16-yard run to the USC 30. That led to Notre Dame’s first points against Pete Carroll’s club in two years, a 41-yard field goal by Brandon Walker.
The Trojans exacted their revenge by riding reserve tailback Marc Tyler upfield much of the way (5 carries, 59 yards) before Sanchez rifled a ball up the middle for Turner, who hauled in a 17-yard touchdown pass with 7:57 left.
An Aldridge fumble was recovered by Michael Morgan at the Notre Dame 23-yard line, but the Irish avoided further damage when Gary Gray intercepted a Mitch Mustain pass and returned it to his 30-yard line, wiping out the final scoring threat for either team.
Both sides remained spirited to the end, with Notre Dame’s Robert Hughes and USC’s Malik Jackson were ejected for fighting in the waning moments.
The Big Moment: Walker’s field goal helped Notre Dame avoid the ignominy of being shut out by the Trojans for a second straight season, something that hasn’t happened in the series since the Irish blanked USC in 1960 and 1961.
By The Numbers: USC finished with 449 yards of total offense (175 rushing, 274 passing), while Notre Dame managed only 91 (50 rushing, 41 passing)...Time of possession also favored the Trojans (34:01 to 25:59), who picked up 22 first downs to Notre Dame’s four.
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