No. 5 Notre Dame punches the CFP ticket with two late interception-return TDs, beating USC 49-35

Christian Gray returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown with 3:39 to play, Xavier Watts returned another interception 100 yards for a score with 1:18 to play, and No. 5 Notre Dame punched his ticket to college with his 10th Football Playoffs win in a row, 49-35 over Southern California on Saturday.

Riley Leonard threw two touchdown passes and scored another score for the Fighting Irish (11-1), who capped an impressive regular season by beating the stubborn Trojans (6-6) for their sixth win in the last seven editions of this famous Tournaments staved off intersectional rivalries.

Notre Dame led 35-21 early in the fourth quarter, but Ja’Kobi Lane made the second of his three touchdown catches for the Trojans with 8:43 left.

After USC stopped the Irish offense, Jayden Maiava moved the Trojans to the Notre Dame 21 to score a shot to tie the game – but Gray stayed on his feet after an acrobatic interception of a goal-line pass intended for Kyron Hudson, and the sophomore returned the ball all the way down the USC sideline.

Maiava led another desperate drive before throwing an easy pick in the end zone to Watts, who took the same route for the game-winning touchdown.

Notre Dame retained the jeweled shillelagh at the schools’ 95th convocation in a series that began at the Coliseum in 1926.

Jadarian Price rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown for the Irish, and Jeremiyah Love added 99 yards and a score. Eli Raridon and Mitchell Evans caught TD passes from Duke transfer Leonard, who continued his solid season finish with 155 passing yards.

Maiava rushed for two touchdowns and rushed for 360 yards in his first loss as a starter for USC (6-6), which lost five of eight to end a second consecutive disappointing regular season under coach Lincoln Riley.

Makai Lemon received 82 of his 133 yards in the fourth quarter, but for the first time all season the Trojans lost their lead heading into the final period. Lane caught his third TD pass with 13 seconds left.

Woody Marks, USC’s 1,100-yard rusher, was injured on a 9-yard run early in the Trojans’ second drive. He did not return to the game despite being on the sideline, and the injury ended the Mississippi State transfer’s FBS-best streak of 56 consecutive games with one reception.

The first half was remarkably even in front of a large crowd in the Colosseum on a game day with a temperature of 75 degrees (23.8 degrees Celsius). Love overwhelmed Kamari Ramsey to set up Raridon’s 12-yard TD catch 59 seconds before halftime, but the Trojans gained 78 yards in 31 seconds, offsetting Lane’s 12-yard TD reception.

Price made a 36-yard TD run on the first drive of the second half, but USC answered with Maiava’s second 1-yard TD plunge. Notre Dame’s offense responded with another lightning-fast attack on USC’s improved defense, and Leonard’s short touchdown run gave the Irish the lead for good.

John Humphrey intercepted Leonard’s poorly backed pass on Notre Dame’s next drive, but after the Irish defense stopped USC on downs, Evans caught a 23-yard TD pass.

Notre Dame: The Irish could only beat teams on their schedule, and they have done that every week since being embarrassed by Northern Illinois. But it’s also hard to say how they will respond to a big increase in the level of competition in the CFP after having some trouble stopping a .500 USC team.

USC: The Trojans’ lack of playmakers became apparent when Marks was sidelined. Receivers repeatedly missed opportunities to help Maiava while Riley failed to stick with the running game in Marks’ absence. USC’s defense also struggled after a largely solid season.

Caleb Williams, the only USC quarterback to beat Notre Dame since 2016, watched from the Trojans’ sideline. The Chicago Bears’ rookie No. 13 was officially retired during an in-game ceremony.

Notre Dame: Likely to host a first-round CFP game since the Irish can’t get a bye in the top four.

USC: A low-stakes bowl game for the second straight year, which is not what fans had in mind with the high-priced Riley.

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AP College Football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football