The Fighting Irish came to Hollywood with cinematic aspirations. Asked earlier this week about whether he had to amp up Notre Dame players in preparation for their last regular season game against the Trojans, Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden answered bluntly.
“No,” he told a press conference.
“Nope. There’s nothing that needs to be said, you know. If you’re watching Godfather II, and Hyman Roth’s talking to Michael Corleone, you know what’s on in the background, right, is Notre Dame-USC, and that’s all we gotta say,” he added.
Notre Dame’s postseason hopes all came down to this one game, played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the shadow of the Hollywood sign. After 98 years of rivalry, Notre Dame again took the Jeweled Shillelagh on Saturday, securing a place in the first round of the College Football Playoff in three weeks. Notre Dame has won the rivalry game in seven of the last ten matchups with USC. When the teams kicked off on Saturday afternoon, the warm weather was a sharp contrast from temperatures back at Notre Dame Stadium.
Excitement was high at tailgates across the USC campus, with one tent helming a sign that said “ND LADIES FROM HELL PAY FOR YOUR SINS TOMORROW” and a flag with two alligators representing Notre Dame and USC — playing the violin and accordion respectively — that read “CAJUN FESTIVAL: USC LOVES BRIAN KELLY NOT NOTRE DAME.”
“I’m glad all 50 Notre Dame fans showed up. We gave them free tequila because they couldn’t afford it,” a Trojans fan posted mockingly on X, formerly known as Twitter. The Coliseum was nonetheless far from full, with fans filing in late, leaving early and the student section almost empty.
For the significant crowd of Irish fans scattered throughout the stadium, the game determined the future of Notre Dame’s playoff bid. The all-or-nothing nature of Notre Dame’s final regular season matchup was heightened by a tie at halftime and a stressfully close third quarter.
In a game where Golden’s defensive team appeared to underperform, there were moments when the confidence seemed misplaced. As clouds moved over the Coliseum, the Irish were neck-and-neck and struggled to keep their load.
Pick twelve: Gray, Watts make determinative interceptions
As the Coliseum torch was lit for the fourth quarter, the clouds once again shifted over the stadium and the sun beat down on the sea of cardinal bleachers.
The game was defined by a determinative pick-six by cornerback Christian Gray. Before his 99-yard rush all the way across the field, the sophomore had had a mixed game. With two pass interference penalties, Gray ran into some trouble in the third quarter. With an interception in the last four minutes of play, he brought the Irish up to 42 points.
Gray’s coup de grace was followed just minutes later by an endzone interception by graduate student safety Xavier Watts. Watts then made a 100-yard pick-six for the final touchdown of the game.
Head coach Marcus Freeman said he was “selfishly” thinking about the turnover margin during those plays, noting that Notre Dame has lost that metric only once this season.
“They’re resilient, they battle, they’re never out of play, and that’s what you love about it. And they compete until the clock says zero,” Freeman said about his players.
Kicking struggles continue
In the second quarter with a tied score at 7-7, former quarterback and walk-on wide receiver Tyler Buchner executed a fake punt and passed the ball to senior tight end Mitchell Evans. That play resulted in a first down. The Irish passed down the field for a field goal attempt.
Mitch Jeter, the graduate transfer kicker, attempted and failed to make a 27-yard field goal. Jeter has completed only one of his last five attempts at a field goal, so while Freeman expressed confidence in the kicker earlier in the week, questions are nonetheless raised.
California Love: Hurdling over the Trojans
At the end of the first half, Irish running back Jeremiyah Love caught a pass from Riley Leonard, and proceeded to run 20 yards, hurdling over Trojans safety Kamari Ramsey. The play was well received, sparking discussion of a potential Heisman in the 2025 season as the sophomore prepares for his next season at Notre Dame. Love rushed a total of 99 yards before being taken out of the game for a leg injury before the fourth quarter.
Securing a playoff game
The weather at Notre Dame Stadium will not be as gentle in three weeks’ time, and the Irish are preparing now for a CFP show off at home, the first playoff game the Irish have played since their 2020 defeat against Alabama at the Rose Bowl.
USC defensive end Kameryn Fountain captured the Trojans’ frustration with their defeat, as he walked off the field signing sneakers for fans.
“Man, f*** these n****s. We’ll be back next year,” he said.
In the post-game press conference, Freeman largely evaded questions about the playoff, choosing instead to focus on the celebration.
“We have to celebrate this thing first, and these guys work way too hard not to take a moment and enjoy,” he said. “So we're gonna enjoy this today, on this flight home, probably tomorrow, Sunday, as we move forward. But we don’t have an opponent, so we’re gonna enjoy this thing probably for two days, and then Monday, we’ll start moving forward.”
