SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Junior offensive lineman Billy Schrauth has been named the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week for his dominant performance in Notre Dame’s 34-24 win over No. 20 USC. The Outland Trophy honors college football’s most outstanding lineman. The honor marks the first such national weekly award of Schrauth’s career.
Schrauth, a team captain, wowed audiences across the country with his prowess on the offensive line in the victory, imposing his will as he and the Irish line paved the way for 306 Notre Dame rushing yards on the evening, against a defense that entered the game allowing just 108.5 rushing yards per game.
Notre Dame’s season-high 306 rushing yards were the most USC has given up in a game all season. The Irish had 182 of those in the first half, which were 11 more rushing yards than USC had given up in a game all season.
The Irish far and away outpaced the average production allowed by USC’s defense this season. With 442 total yards of offense on the evening, Notre Dame totaled nearly 90 yards over USC’s total defense average entering the evening. Even more notably, Notre Dame’s 306 rushing yards is nearly 200 yards over USC’s average rushing defense entering the game (108.5).
His efforts, lauded for his ability to push his matchup off the line of scrimmage, made it possible for running back Jeremiyah Love to post one of the best running back performances by a player in the nation this season, notching 24 carries for 228 rushing yards and one touchdown, including a 63-yard long rush.
Love totaled the most rushing yards by any player in the nation this weekend (228). His 228 rushing yards are the most by a player against a ranked opponent this season, and the third-most by a player against any opponent. Love set a new Notre Dame record, totaling the most rushing yards by a Notre Dame player at Notre Dame Stadium ever. He posted the sixth-most single-game rushing yards in Notre Dame history. He totaled 134 rushing yards in the first half alone. It marked the most first-half rushing yards for a Notre Dame player since Julius Jones’ 171 yards in the win over Stanford on November 29, 2003.
In addition, fellow Irish running back Jadarian Price posted 13 carries for 87 yards at a touchdown, adding to the unstoppable Notre Dame rushing attack.
It also marked the 11th time that both Love and fellow Irish RB Jadarian Price have rushed for a touchdown in the same game, and the fifth time this season, the most by a running back duo in Notre Dame history.