Christian Gray’s 99-yard pick 6 with 3:39 remaining clinched No. 5 Notre Dame’s 49-35 win over USC on Saturday at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. With the victory, the Fighting Irish clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff.
The Trojans cruised to a potential game-tying touchdown on a 22-yard reception by Duce Robinson and a 23-yard run by Quinten Joyner. That put USC at the Irish’s 21-yard line.
Jayden Maiava then looked for Kyron Hudson down the right sideline. But he subbed his pass as Hudson fell and Gray took the throw at the 1-yard line. The sophomore returned the ball 60 yards down the sideline before moving to the left hash and reaching the end zone with four Irish teammates holding defenders off him.
On the next possession, USC again drove toward a potential touchdown, moving 62 yards in seven plays. But on 4th-and-6 from the Notre Dame 13-yard line, Maiava was intercepted again, this time in the end zone by safety Xavier Watts.
The senior ran his pick back 60 yards without the Trojans offensive player getting close to a tackle, likely tired after two straight long drives.
What looked like a USC rally started with Ja’Kobi Lane’s touchdown catch with 8:43 left in the fourth quarter. The score cut the Irish’s lead to 35-28. The Trojans’ defense then forced Notre Dame to punt on its next possession, aided by a holding penalty and sack by Jamil Muhammad.
A 60-yard punt by James Rendell pushed USC back to its 16-yard line. However, the Trojans drove 63 yards in five plays before Gray’s ill-fated interception ended the chances of a comeback.
