Box Score (PDF) | Notre Dame Postgame Notes | Brian Kelly Post-Game Press Conference Transcript
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The No. 13 Notre Dame football team (6-1) led from start to finish in the 31-16 win over rival Southern Cal (3-4, 2-3 Pac-12) Saturday night at Notre Dame Stadium. The Irish retained the Jeweled Shillelagh as they won their fourth straight game against the Trojans.
Running back Kyren Williams led the way for the Irish offense with a season high 138 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. His 180 all-purpose yards were the most by an Irish player this season. On defense, Isaiah Foskey created havoc all night long with a career high two forced fumbles and tied a career high with 2.0 sacks. Foskey leads the Irish with 8.0 sacks on the season.
The Irish struck first in the contest, marching 70 yards in 11 plays for a touchdown. Coan found a wide-open Avery Davis in the endzone from four yards out to give Notre Dame the early 7-0 lead with four minutes left in the first quarter.
USC responded by driving to the redzone but Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa disrupted a pass attempt and Bo Bauer picked it off and returned it 82 yards to the Trojans’ three-yard line. Notre Dame had to settle for a field goal to extend its lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter.
The Trojans managed to get on the board on their next possession, putting together a 60-yard drive that resulted in a 33-yard field goal to make the score 10-3.
Notre Dame immediately responded, scoring its second touchdown of the evening on the ensuing drive to push the lead to 14 points at 17-3. Notre Dame went 75 yards on a methodical nine-play drive, capped off by a five-yard touchdown run from Kyren Williams.
The Irish defense stood tall on the final drive of the half, giving Notre Dame a 17-3 lead at the half.
Notre Dame’s defense picked up right where it left off to start the third quarter, making back-to-back stops.
On the second Irish possession of the half Notre Dame put together a methodical 13-play drive that went 80 yards for a touchdown to give it the largest lead of the night at 24-3. Williams found pay-dirt for the second time to finish the drive off with a 1-yard plunge.
USC answered with a touchdown on its next drive, going 77 yards for the score to trim the lead to 24-10.
The Trojans then came down with an interception on the Notre Dame 14-yard line and cashed in on the caused turnover with another touchdown off a three-yard run from Darwin Barlow to make it a one-possession game at 24-16.
The Irish put the game out of reach with an eight-play, 75-yard drive that chewed up nearly four minutes of clock. The drive was capped with a three-yard rushing touchdown that put the Irish back ahead by double digits, 31-16, with 4:52 left in the game.
The Irish are back in primetime next weekend, as they welcome North Carolina for a 7:30 p.m. ET kick on Saturday, Oct. 30. The game will be broadcast on NBC.
—ND—
📊 Poll of the Game
🏈 FOURTH QUARTER
.@tylerbuchner runs it in for the TD ‼️#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/rFXWC0rGEN
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 24, 2021
electric #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/wFxukXdgmP
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 24, 2021
🏈 THIRD QUARTER
TD ✌️@Kyrenwilliams23 | #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/HIF3Z3Nl8e
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 24, 2021
HUGE stop 😤#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/OKUEBE1jj0
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 24, 2021
🏈 SECOND QUARTER
bringin’ @Kyrenwilliams23‘s TD back to the TL #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/ZZLVRBH0kY
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 24, 2021
.@myraaann 🤝 @____bb52#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/2UMYntgHcP
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 24, 2021
+3️⃣@JDoerer_11 | #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/7BWA0CA2rM
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 24, 2021
got himmmm@____bb52 | #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/1AZdildWDD
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 24, 2021
🏈 PRE-GAME
| GAME DAY INFORMATION | |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, October 23, 2021 |
| Time | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| Site: | Notre Dame Stadium | South Bend, IN |
| TV: | TV: NBC (national) Mike Tirico (play-by-play) Drew Brees (analyst) Kathryn Tappen (sideline) |
| Radio: | Notre Dame Radio Network |
HERE COME THE IRISH ☘️#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/PR2lSxGZqF
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 23, 2021
🔐 in @Kyrenwilliams23 | #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/14aTtiYnuq
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 23, 2021
it’s good to be back#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/WmaGkoOSt3
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 23, 2021
what we play for ☘️#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/ZZlGJwMIZd
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 23, 2021
Tonight. Under the lights at Notre Dame Stadium.#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/vBVCMVPgMz
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 23, 2021
it’s 𝐮𝐬 versus them#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/H4HakNxrjX
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 22, 2021