LOS ANGELES – USC head coach Steve Sarkisian knew the formula to beat Notre Dame: jump out to an early lead and hang on from there. Get out to the early lead they did as the Trojans were up 21-0 before anyone in attendance at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum could catch their breath.
The Fighting Irish benched their quarterback Everett Golson early in the second quarter with the team down 35-0, and put in backup Malik Zaire who was able to spark some offense for the Irish who ultimately fell to their rivals from the west 49-14.
USC quarterback Cody Kessler threw for a record six touchdowns and 372 yards against Notre Dame as the Trojans bounced back from an embarrassing loss last week at the hands of their city rivals, UCLA.
Wide receiver George Farmer, the fastest player on the team caught two touchdowns from Kessler and finished the game with four catches for 85 yards. Adoree Jackson, Darreus Rogers and Nelson Agholor also caught TD passes for the Trojans with Agholor finishing with a game high 12 catches for 120 yards.
The Trojans had lost the last two games of the intersectional rivalry, and four of the last five, but were able to reclaim the Jeweled Shillelagh and end the regular season on a high note.
USC picked on the injury riddled Notre Dam defense who has now lost four consecutive games and gave up six touchdown passes for the first time in the programs 127-year history. The Irish finish the season 7-5 while the Trojans end the year at 8-4. Both teams will play in a bowl game.
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