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Turnovers, Notre Dame run game delivers USC 34-24 loss on the road

Erik-McKinneyby: Erik McKinney10/18/25ErikTMcKinney
Riley Freeman
USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley and Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman chat before the game at Notre Dame Stadium. (Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports)

Follow along with WeAreSC from Notre Dame Stadium as the No. 20 USC Trojans battle the No. 13 Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Notre Dame extends their winning streak

10/18/2025 10:10:19 PM

Notre Dame has now beaten USC three times in a row and all by double-digits as the Irish lock in a 34-24 win over the Trojans.

Maiava picked again

10/18/2025 10:09:18 PM

A desperation drive ends in another Notre Dame interception as Maiava can’t connect with Walker Lyons deep down the field. Notre Dame has the ball at its own 8-yard line and will take knees to win it.

Another turnover on downs

10/18/2025 09:48:22 PM

USC can’t convert a 4th-and-1 as Maiava rolls out and tries to hit Lake McRee. It’s the second time USC has failed on fourth down tonight, to go along with two traditional turnovers. Notre Dame takes over at the USC 44-yard line with 5:55 left in the game.

Notre Dame takes advantage of the turnover

10/18/2025 09:40:14 PM

Notre Dame goes 50 yards in seven plays (six runs) to push the lead to 34-24 with 7:16 remaining and the rain is starting to pick up as the Trojans are running out of time in South Bend.

Makai Lemon with a huge mistake

10/18/2025 09:33:04 PM

Makai Lemon took an end around and looked to throw it downfield. With Ja’Kobi Lane covered, he held the ball, tried to buy some time and eventually fumbled trying to throw it. What a huge turnover. Notre Dame takes over at midfield with 11:11 left, leading 27-24.

Another missed Notre Dame kick

10/18/2025 09:27:39 PM

After missing an extra point earlier, Notre Dame kicker Noah Burnette hooks a 31-yard attempt wide left and USC will take over at its own 20-yard line down 27-24 with 12:33 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Maiava’s big mistake

10/18/2025 09:17:21 PM

Jayden Maiava throws behind Ja’Kobi Lane and Christian Gray cuts in front from an interception and a huge turnover by the Trojans. The Irish set up in USC territory with a chance to push their lead even more heading into the fourth quarter.

Lightning strike from Price

10/18/2025 09:10:35 PM

Jadarian Price takes the kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, but Notre Dame misses the extra point. It’s 27-24 Notre Dame with 4:17 left in the third quarter.

Ja’Kobi Lane goes deep

10/18/2025 09:08:47 PM

Maiava goes deep to Ja’Kobi Lane for a 59-yard touchdown and then hits Lane again for the two-point conversion and USC is suddently out front 24-21 with 4:32 remaining in the third quarter.

Sayeri gets another three

10/18/2025 08:55:46 PM

USC scores again but it’s another field goal. Sayeri drills a 43-yarder as he’s done everything asked of him tonight. It’s 21-16 Notre Dame with 6:19 remaining in the third quarter.

Notre Dame opens the second half scoring

10/18/2025 08:44:21 PM

Carr hits Will Pauling over the middle for a 6-yard touchdown to cap a 75-yard, 13-play, 6:56 drive to open the second half. Notre Dame converted its first third down and first fourth down of the game on that drive. It’s 21-13 Notre Dame with 8:04 left in the third quarter.

Halftime statistics

10/18/2025 08:34:37 PM

Score: USC 13, Notre Dame 14
Total yards: USC 237, Notre Dame 268
Rushing yards: USC 60, Notre Dame: 182
Passing yards: USC 177, Notre Dame 86
Average yards per play: USC 5.6, Notre Dame 8.9
Sacks: USC 1, Notre Dame 1
Turnovers: USC 0, Notre Dame 1
Third downs: USC 2-for-7, Notre Dame 0-for-4
Time of possession: USC 17:43, Notre Dame 12:17

USC enters halftime down by one

10/18/2025 08:19:43 PM

Notre Dame takes a 14-13 lead into halftime and will get the ball to start the second half. The Irish have put up 182 rushing yards and are averaging 8.9 yards per play and somehow the Trojans are staying in this one.

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava is 14-of-24 for 177 yards and a touchdown, while running back King Miller has 53 rushing yards on 11 carries.

USC kept out of the endzone again

10/18/2025 07:58:51 PM

Ja’Kobi Lane can’t come up with a low throw from Maiava on third down that might have been a touchdown and USC has to settle another Sayeri field goal attempt. He hits from 24 yards out and USC cuts the Notre Dame lead to 14-13 with 1:43 remaining in the first half.

What a mistake by CJ Carr

10/18/2025 07:44:50 PM

Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr takes a snap on third down from the three-yard line and drops back about 20 yards before throwing an interception to USC defensive end Braylan Shelby. What a huge turnover and mistake by Carr. USC takes over with 5:30 left in the half.

USC turns it over on downs

10/18/2025 07:33:43 PM

Moves the ball deep into Notre Dame territory but can’t convert a third-and-short as Maiava throws incomplete to Lake McRee. Notre Dame takes over at its own 19-yard line with 10:19 remaining in the first half, leading 14-10.

Notre Dame continues to dominate on the ground

10/18/2025 07:25:18 PM

Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price goes into the endzone for a 16-yard score and USC has absolutely zero answers for this Irish running game tonight. It’s 14-10 Notre Dame with 14:38 remaining in the second quarter.

USC leading after one quarter

10/18/2025 07:19:17 PM

The Trojans take a 10-7 lead into the second quarter but some of the key stats are slanting heavily toward Notre Dame now. Irish running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price have rushed for 136 yards on just six carries through one quarter. The USC defensive line and linebackers are getting gashed repeatedly.

Defense trading stops

10/18/2025 07:16:25 PM

Thanks to a key sack by Kameryn Crawford, the Trojans stopped another Notre Dame drive. But the Trojans can’t get anything going offensively and have to punt following another three-and-out. Notre Dame has it back at its own 32-yard line with 1:12 remaining.

Sam Johnson flips the field

10/18/2025 07:11:38 PM

USC can’t get anything going offensively but punter Sam Johnson flips the field with a 59-yard punt. Notre Dame starts at its own 29-yard line with 4:32 left in the first.

USC forces a punt

10/18/2025 07:06:47 PM

The Trojans give up one first down but then get a big tackle for loss on first down that helps force a punt. USC will take over at its own 7-yard line with 5:39 remaining in the first quarter.

Trojans score again

10/18/2025 06:59:26 PM

USC goes 50 plays and scores again on a 42-yard field goal by Ryon Sayeri. The Trojans ran six plays and didn’t have a rushing attempt. The second and third-down incompletions went off the hands of running back King Miller and wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane.

First big play for Notre Dame

10/18/2025 06:49:58 PM

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love gets loose for a 63-yard run and then again for a 12-yard touchdown run as the USC defense is absolutely gashed on two of four plays as the Irish go 75 yards and tie the game 7-7 with 10:11 remaining in the first quarter.

USC opens the scoring

10/18/2025 06:43:20 PM

Jayden Maiava connects with Lake McRee on a 10-yard touchdown as McRee makes a phenomenal grab along the sideline over a defender to bring it in. USC goes 75 yards in 10 plays and 3:51 to go up 7-0 with 11:09 remaining in the first quarter.

USC wins the opening toss

10/18/2025 06:34:51 PM

USC won the opening coin toss and elected to receive the kick.

Elijah Paige in uniform

10/18/2025 05:56:30 PM

It looks like USC left tackle Elijah Paige will play today based on him being in full uniform for stretching. He didn’t come out of the locker room in full uniform for games against either Illinois or Michigan.

Kickoff announcement

10/18/2025 05:51:37 PM

An announcement in the press box was just made that the game will kick off on time. Players are now on the field going through warmups. The kickoff countdown clock shows 44 minutes until kick.

Players still not on the field

10/18/2025 05:31:42 PM

The countdown to kickoff clock shows 64 minutes until kickoff, but no players have been allowed on the field to start the very early invidivual warmups the teams go through. As we all know very well from the Purdue delay, any lightning strike in the area automatically triggers a 30-minute shelter in place.

Another weather delay coming for USC?

10/18/2025 05:14:21 PM

USC’s game at Purdue earlier this season was delayed three hours due to lightning in the area. We aren’t at a point where this game is delayed, but it’s raining hard about an hour and 15 minutes until the scheduled kickoff and Notre Dame is not allowing fans to enter the stadium due to lightning in the area.

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