The Notre Dame Fighting Irish should probably be up 24-17, but a critical 10 to 14 point swing came near the end of the third quarter. Notre Dame had a 20 play, 91 yard, six minute drive set them up right at the USC one yard line, but Irish tailback Dayne Crist could not handle the football, the ball bounced back 20 yards from quarterback Tommy Rees, and Jawanza Starling picked it up and went scooting 80 yards the other way for the score and the 24-10 Trojan lead.
Back came Notre Dame though. Rees and the Irish needed only five plays to go 62 yards, as Rees hooked up with Malcolm Floyd for 13 yards, TJ Jones for seven yards, Tyler Eifert for six yards, then scrambled for six more yards. Jonas Gray then took the football down the sideline and scampered down the left sideline for 25 yards to cut the Trojans lead to seven.
If only Crist could hold onto the football, it could be Notre Dame dictating things, but right now USC is holding on in the 4th quarter.
To discuss the game with Trojans fans, hit up Conquest Chronicles. For more from Irish fans, go to One Foot Down.