FOOTBALL

USC-Notre Dame Live Blog

USC comes back and scores as Markese Stepp barrels through the defense. Notre Dame 30, USC 27. Here comes the onside kick.

Well, it’s time to make a stand and USC wilts.

The Irish go 75 yards in 14 plays and have rushed for 311 yards as Ian Book caps it off with a TD run. Notre Dame 30, USC 20.

Kedon Slovis finds Tyler Vaughns for the TD and it’s 23-20 Notre Dame. USC can easily win this game if the coaches didn’t mess it up.

Thanks to that roughing the passer penalty, Notre Dame adds a FG and it is 23-13. Call the Pac-12 office!

End of third quarter: Notre Dame 20, USC 13.

USC got a very questionable roughing the passer penalty and the Irish are driving.

Kedon Slovis hits Amon-Ra St. Brown over the middle for a nice 38-yard TD and suddenly USC is down, 20-13.

USC has scored just one touchdown in its past 92 1/2 minutes of play against Notre Dame. That TD was the garbage time TD in final minute last year.

The teams trade field goals but the USC drive stalled as it got inside the 10. That’s what happens with the Air Raid. It’s one reason USC is so mediocre inside the red zone.

Notre Dame leads, 20-6.

Clancy Pendergast doesn’t make halftime adjustments so what happens now?

It’s 17-3 and Clancy Pendergast can’t get to halftime fast enough.

Can Clancy Pendergast defend the reverse or the edge? He just blew all of USC’s momentum from the first quarter. What a joke.

This is why USC needs a new coach. Someone who can scheme properly.

It’s 14-3 Notre Dame.

The USC defense looks a little worn out. And it’s only the second quarter. Where is that strength and conditioning we heard so much about?

Can John Baxter gets these guys to catch or down a punt near the goal line?

Notre Dame 7, USC 3.

Just when USC’s defense put in a good quarter, the Irish storm down the field with a 43-yard run the big play. Talanoa Hufanga with a big missed tackle on TD.

Boy, USC’s defense had 10 men or 12 men on field.

Ben Griffiths finally gets a punt down inside the 10.

End of first quarter: USC 3, Notre Dame 0.

USC leads 3-0 as Chase McGrath kicks a 40-yard FG.

Amon-Ra St. Brown had a catchable ball near goal line.

Markese Stepp with two nices runs, including one for nearly 20 yards as USC drives down to the Notre Dame 20.

It’s a puntfest so far as both teams have punted on the first two possessions. USC with the ball at midfield on its third possession.

Both teams punt on first possession.

The USC band did not perform in pre-game show. Bad move by Notre Dame.

I’ll be doing a live blog on today’s USC-Notre Dame game and you can post comments below.

It’s currently sunny and comfortable in South Bend (51 degrees). But this will be a 7:30 p.m. (local time) kickoff.

And like I promised Friday, here’s the only USC tailgate right next to Notre Dame Stadium today.

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82 thoughts on “USC-Notre Dame Live Blog”

  1. 67 –You said you hoped I’d be right about USC winning —well, that makes 2 of us. For the first time in a long time I bet on USC….
    #FightOn

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  5. Pac 12 officials are doing their best to give it to Notre Dame —obvious pass interference right in front of official —no call….
    #ImpossibleToMissIfYou’rePlayingItStraight….

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    1. I don’t think so esp. on the holding call on that punt return and the delay of game before they went (again) 3 and out just before the end of the 1st qtr.

      Great game so far

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      1. MG, you’ve sunk to a new low. Why blame the refs for SUCCX ugly game.

        ND does have a superior defense. The bozos just can’t play catch up using their ground game.

        MG, pray for KS.

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      2. My dear friend Owns,
        A new low?! I’ll show you a new low…
        #YouAin’tSeenNothingYet…..
        #I’mReWatchinGame(Objectively)
        #Yep.OfficiatingStillSucksReallyBad….

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  7. Case in point the refs tried to give the ball to ND when it was clear that the person handing them ball was wearing white. Then their blindness kicked in on a roughing the passer. But I figured out the problem they’re PAC 12 refs.

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      2. Owns — You’d think I’d know by now, my friend. [At about the same moment as I watched Helton change a play 3 times from the sideline (confusing poor Slovis to the point he got sacked for a huge loss) I kissed my $500 goodbye].
        P. S.
        At the end of the Half Pac 12 refs called a penalty on UCLA for unnecessary roughness…. seriously!! Check the tape —the officials actually don’t know which Pac 12 team is playing!
        #It’sALLTooWonderful….

        Liked by 2 people

  9. Notre Dame gets 33 yard run off hold which almost tore USC jersey —no call….
    #HardToWinInterConferenceGameW/Pac12Officiating….
    #[RefsWillComeAliveIfUSCStartsHoldingToo]…

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    1. Have you EVER seen any other QB have to look to the sidelines as long as poor Slovis has to while Helton keeps changing the play? [And the play call always sucks]…..

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      1. Coach Hyde becomes apoplectic when this topic comes up on the ‘style…it epitomizes the modern control freak coaching trend…used to be part of a hurry up offense, but now it usually results in the play clock running down, players being confused, and the QB having no way to succeed…unless a mobile QB who can make plays with their feet and then feast on broken plays…

        There’s no mercy rule here, and Kelly will run it up…

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      2. James —You’d think that Helton —of all people —would let them play. How can he possibly think he’s gonna ADD anything at this point? He wanted Slovis to know that they’d changed pass coverage —-but Slovis would’ve seen it w/o sideline help AND had more time to get the fricking play off!

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      3. MG
        Think the problem is what you say, but the devil is in the details…Helton and coaches like him do that because they don’t properly coach/develop/prepare the QBs…when you have a mobile QB who essentially is like a playmaking point guard in basketball, it doesn’t show…but when you don’t, it is so obvious…he’s trying to coach the QB in real-time…maybe some full contact, full pad practices with hitting so the QB knows how to read defenses, quickly go through progressions, have good footwork, know when to pull it down and leave the pocket or improvise…and have that subconscious clock in the their head…

        But this will never happen with a Helton…can only hope our prayers are answered for a new coach, hopefully Meyer, ASAP…

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      4. James –Helton just did it again on 3rd and goal —stopped the flow of the offense dead in it’s tracks —we needed to get the play off FAST and instead he slowed it down so he could play mastermind on the sidelines —- he’s just the worst ever —he SO deserves what’s gonna happen…
        #FoltIsThere —DoItNow!

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      5. And you realize what he’s doing? he’s waiting for someone upstairs to tell him what the defensive alignment is (or what they think it is) and he’s trying to alter the playcalls based on that…

        Liked by 1 person

      7. Look at that…just like the Pats do on Sundays…they finally do what we’ve all known to do all years (bring Stepp in )…he bangs a couple of nice runs…the D responds to…the play action becomes a legitimate threat and pays big dividends…

        Liked by 1 person

  16. The last play was all you would ever need to know about this staff…and the offensive system they believe in…show press coverage, drop off, confuse QB who only can make one read, get big sack rushing three…

    And now the D after inspired early play will melt…

    The players have actually performed well given the staff…they deserve better…

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    2. In the absence of a mobile QB, this offensive style is just garbage…has been since it was originally packaged in the NFL as the run and shoot with the Oilers and Falcons…

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    3. Ya gotta feel sorry for poor dumb Clay —he’s mad at the late hit on the QB —- but he shoulda got mad more during practices (games are a bit late to instill discipline)….

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  18. I ‘ve pointed this out before, but it bears repeating, Clay Helton was a loser in his college days. This why he is so Damn comfortable losing every week .
    “I wouldn’t give a hoot in Hell for a man who lost and laughed.” -George Patton.
    “Every game ends with someone losing.”- Clay the clueless Helton

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    1. Of course you know that, if Patton returned today, we’d probably arrest him within 2 minutes for saying or doing something politically incorrect.

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    1. Penalties can hurt you 2 different ways. If they’re called against you. Or, if they’re not called against the other team.
      But, that’s quibbling. You’re 100% correct: Our coaches are sub-mental…
      #…They’llNeverGetBetterSoGetRidOfThemAlready
      [Now watch USC make a brilliant comeback and make US look sub-mental]….
      #Yeah,Right

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      1. Funny, my Smacky. Watch the whole game –the officiating will really make you proud.
        #OfficiatingLikeThisRarelyHappensToo…..

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  20. I think SUCCX needed a TD, not a FG, They had two chances (TD or FD) if going on 4th down.

    The bozo FG has to be considered a victory for the ND defense.

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    1. It’s funny that I was pissed at SCE for turning my power off for 40ish hours for no reason, and now – I’m kinda pissed they turned it back on mid-morning. Sad!

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  24. Well here’s the game for Potterheads. ND’s offense is Slytherin and SC’s Hufflepuffing. SC fans are hoping the AD will use the Ravenclaw to show the coaches the Gryffindor.

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  25. The ND OC is doing his best to keep Clown U in the game.

    Third and 3 and ND calls a play that starts 7 yards behind the LOS.

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    1. You’re assuming there WILL be a new coach. Folt might tell Helton “good job” after game —“you beat the spread and made MG some good money.”

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  33. Wow our defense just high fived the ND quarterback as he crossed the goal line. Instead of defending the end zone he held back. Really does anybody in the coaching staff teach tackling?
    Beating the spread doesn’t put a jewel on the sheleighly

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    1. No. And I’m happy to say it doesn’t make me happy even if I took USC and 11 points. The only thing that matters is winning —and we didn’t. But let’s be fair. The Pac 12 let their tight end push off on that big first down, they called a hit on the QB that wasn’t, and they let Notre Dame put their coach ON THE FUCKING FIELD on the onside kick. And it’s just another day at the office for Larry Scott and Pac 12 officiating…..
      #YouAlmostKnewItWasGonnaHappen….
      #It’sHowItIsTheseDays…….

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    1. Irish were GIVEN GAME by sub-mental Pac 12 officials —-[didn’t stop me from doing fine with Las Vegas —but it still sucks —- Larry Scott is a fucking weak moron who couldn’t and wouldn’t and shouldn’t be in charge —but the Pac 12 presidents are even bigger fucking morons —so it’s all good….]…..

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  35. Brian Kelly give no effs. Being on the field while the ball is in play is child’s play when you’ve gotten a kid killed by sending him up in a scissor-lift in high winds so you’d have video tape of a practice.

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  36. Ah always a ‘pass’ or more accurate an ‘inside fix’ for ‘the princess’…no CCG for them…no sir why just look at how hard they work with their own network (NBC) and their own co-captain ‘Flutie’ best of all is they knowing no matter what the ‘rigging’ is always there just like for the NYY

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  37. I did not know Helton is so ugly bald. I didn’t recognize him w/o SUCCX cap on.

    I didn’t hear the bozos whine when Reggie illegally pushed the Matty O the Chin into the endzone for the cheat win.

    #Oh well, close but no cigar.

    Nice win Mg.

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    1. There is more to life than beating the spread ….but I didn’t even think we were gonna do that when it was 17-3…..
      #I’mUsedToLosingWithHatlessHelton…
      #SoLetMeCalmlySay…
      #WeGotJobbedByThePac12Officials…
      #HadToLaughAtTheirVacant”HomerSimpson”Expressions..
      #..WhenNotreDameSentSpecialTeamsCoachOnFieldForOnsideKick….
      #Pac12Officials:”IfNotreDameDoesIt,WeGuessIt’sOkay”

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    2. Geez Owns you must sure enjoy USC football. You watch every game and comment all them on the blog. What a hypocritical asshole.

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