No. 5 Notre Dame punches CFP ticket with 2 late interception return TDs to beat USC 49-35
No. 5 Notre Dame punched its ticket to the College Football Playoff with a 49-35 victory over Southern California for its 10th consecutive win
LOS ANGELES (AP) — 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 left, and No. 5 Notre Dame punched its ticket to the College Football Playoff with its 10th consecutive victory, 49-35 over Southern California on Saturday.
Riley Leonard threw two touchdown passes and rushed for another score for the Fighting Irish (11-1), who completed an impressive regular season by holding off the persistent Trojans (6-6) for their sixth win in the last seven editions of this famed intersectional rivalry.
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 for a shot at a tying score — but Gray kept his feet after an acrobatic interception of a goal-line pass intended for Kyron Hudson, and the sophomore returned it all the way down the USC sideline.
