No. 10 USC did not have a strong start to its 94th matchup against historic rival No. 21 Notre Dame.
An early interception from a heavily-pressured Caleb Williams led to an easy touchdown for Notre Dame redshirt freshman running back Gi’Bran Payne just three plays later.
The game has yet to improve for the Trojans.
After a series of punts, USC managed a methodical drive that ended in a 25-yard field goal. The first quarter ended with a 7-3 Notre Dame lead.
An explosive drive by Notre Dame, ending the first quarter and starting the second, featured 16-yard gains by senior receiver Chris Tyree and freshman receiver Jordan Faison. The drive ended with a field goal.
USC was later kept alive on fourth-and-6 by a running into the kicker penalty, allowing Williams to convert a fourth-and-1 with an eight yard run toward the right sideline. Williams ran for a 38-yard touchdown later that drive, but lost it to a holding penalty.
The drive ended with another attempt on fourth-and-1 for the Trojans, but was unsuccessful that time as senior Notre Dame linebacker JD Bertrand stuffed both redshirt senior running back Austin Jones and Williams during the handoff.
On USC’s next possession, an escaping Williams threw a pass into triple coverage. Notre Dame redshirt junior safety Xavier Watts took his second pick of the game to the 2-yard line, which junior running back Audric Estimé quickly turned into a touchdown.
The very next drive for USC, Williams was intercepted yet again, this time by sophomore corner Benjamin Morrsion.
It’s the first three-interception game of Williams’ career, and it comes at a bad time, with three general managers who could be looking for quarterbacks — the Giants’ Joe Shoen, the Bears’ Ryan Poles and the Vikings’ Kwesi Adofo-Mensah — all in attendance.
Estimé and Notre Dame scored yet another touchdown in response to Williams’ pick.
A rapid drive at the end of the half culminated in a field goal for USC. Notre Dame leads 24-6.