Four observations from another memorable Notre Dame football game vs. USC

SOUTH BEND − Didn’t see that one coming.

Here are four thoughts from Saturday’s prime-time game between No. 10 USC and No. 21 Notre Dame, won by the Irish, 48-20.

∎ One big drive. When Notre Dame needed it — like, really needed it — it got it.

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Up 24-6 at half, the Irish saw the lead slip to 24-13 after a USC drive when USC finally looked like USC. There was a ton of time left, but there was some nervousness floating around the old stadium, particularly because the Irish offense hadn’t done much without help of a USC turnover.

Notre Dame’s first two second-half drives gained nine yards on six plays, so there was reason for skepticism. Quarterback Sam Hartman and coordinator Gerad Parker then dialed up a six-play, 68-yard drive that culminated with a 46-yard scoring pass to Chris Tyree.

You could feel the collective sigh of relief all the way up on the ninth floor.

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∎ Notre Dame had USC quarterback Caleb Williams all out of sorts in a first half that saw this go sideways in a snap.

Williams threw three interceptions, two to safety Xavier Watts, and looked decidedly below average. He seemed rattled in the pocket. He looked uncertain on where to get the ball. He seemed more worried about where pressure was coming (hint: all directions) than where the ball was going. If Williams cemented the Heisman Trophy in last year’s Notre Dame game, he probably lost a chance at a second in this one.

∎ An Irish team that had to have something good to go right early didn’t wait long Saturday. Williams, who threw only one interception in his first 166 pass attempts threw a second, on his second throw, to Watts. Three plays later, Notre Dame was in the end zone.

The play and the first Irish scoring drive didn’t win the game, but it was an early statement that Notre Dame was in this one. All in.

∎ Notre Dame certainly cranked up the karma for this one.

The 1973 national championship team was honored early on. The legend — Joe Montana — stepped from the tunnel during a commercial break. Ian Book, the winningest quarterback in program history, took this one in from the suite level. Jerome Bettis was on the sideline. So was Brady Quinn and Justin Tuck.

There was no way Notre Dame could lose this one. Not with all that royalty around.

Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact: (574) 235-6153.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame and USC in college football is always must-see TV