Notre Dame beats USC 24-17, eyes College Football Playoff berth
Notre Dame beat USC 24-17 Saturday night, all but locking up a spot in the College Football Playoff with a 12-0 record.
The Trojans fell to 5-7 on the season and will not play in a bowl game.
USC pulls to within 24-17 late in the fourth quarter
USC stayed in the game with a late drive capped by a 20-yard touchdown pass from JT Daniels to Tyler Vaughns. Notre Dame leads 24-17.
Notre Dame takes a 24-10 lead over USC with 3:09 left
Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book hit running back Tony Jones for a 51-yard touchdown pass to give the Fighting Irish a 24-10 lead over USC with 3:09 remaining.
Notre Dame extends lead to 17-10 on field goal late in third quarter
With its offense stalling, the USC defense continues to keep the Trojans in the game. They held Notre Dame to a 46-yard-field goal attempt, which was made by placekicker Justin Yoon to give the Fighting Irish a 17-10 lead.
Notre Dame takes a 14-10 lead on a Dexter Williams jet sweep early in third quarter
Notre Dame running back Dexter Williams took a jet sweep 52 yards for a touchdown to give the Fighting Irish their first lead of the game, 14-10, with 10:55 left in the third quarter.
USC passed up an opportunity to go for it on fourth-and-1 from its own 35.
Notre Dame promptly made the Trojans pay for it.
Notre Dame pulls within 10-7 with 2:20 left in second quarter
Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book converted three third-and-longs and then found wide receiver Chris Finke for a 24-yard touchdown pass. USC now leads the Fighting Irish 10-7 with 2:20 left in the second quarter.
The Trojans will have to find an answer for Finke, who has seven catches for 86 yards and a touchdown.
USC takes a 10-0 lead over Notre Dame with 11:51 left in second quarter
USC quarterback JT Daniels has completed 19 of 22 passes for 161 yards, and the Trojans now lead Notre Dame 10-0 after a 30-yard field goal by Michael Brown.
USC takes a 7-0 lead over Notre Dame early in first quarter
USC drove the ball right down Notre Dame’s throat on the game’s opening drive, capped by a 14-yard Vavae Malepeai touchdown run.
JT Daniels was six of seven for 64 yards on the drive, which totaled 78 yards on eight plays.
USC-Notre Dame: A look at how the teams match up
USC (5-6) vs. No. 3 Notre Dame (11-0)
Saturday, 5 p.m., Coliseum. TV: Channel 7. Radio: 710.
Marquee matchup
USC offensive line vs. Notre Dame defensive front. It has become a tired refrain each week, but it will hold true once again Saturday: If USC wants to have a chance at victory, its offensive line must compete at a high level.