Robert Hughes stormed into the end zone from five yards out with two and a half minutes remaining and Harrison Smith stopped a last-ditch USC drive with an interception at the goal line to give Notre Dame a hard fought 20-16 victory over the Trojans. The outcome left both teams at 7-5, but more importantly the Irish ended USC’s eight game winning streak in this historic series.
After leading most of the way, Notre Dame saw a 13-3 lead turn into a 16-13 deficit under the weight of four turnovers in its own territory. Led by Brian Smith and Manti Te’o, the defense somehow kept the damage to a minimum, but Joe Houston’s third field goal of the night with 6:30 remaining gave the Trojans the lead. Despite recording only one first down in the second half until that point, the Irish offense somehow put together a 77-yard scoring drive with the game on the line. Hughes accounted for 35 of the last 40 yards by running downhill with the aid of his suddenly energized teammates.
Quarterback Mitch Mustain tried to rally USC and nearly succeeded, but Ronald Johnson dropped a sure touchdown pass with 1:24 left after Harrison Smith slipped on the wet turf. The Trojans reached the Notre Dame 23 yard line a few plays later, but Smith swooped in to intercept an off target throw by Mustain to end the threat. Dropped passes were all too common for USC throughout the evening, and they essentially offset a 4-1 turnover advantage.
There were plenty of heroes for Notre Dame. Michael Floyd had 11 receptions and a touchdown reception, Cierre Wood had 89 yards in 15 carries, including a 26 yard scamper on the winning drive before giving way to Hughes. Wood fumbled at the end of that run, but what might have been the team’s fifth (and fatal) turnover was recovered by Tyler Eifert. Defensively, the Irish front seven held the Trojans to a mere 80 yards rushing on 30 carries.
Both teams started slowly on offense as the coaches attempted to ease their respective backup quarterbacks into the game and avoid costly mistakes. While Mustain struggled, Tommy Rees blinked first by throwing an early interception to USC’s Chris Galippo. The Irish held but Houston hit his longest field goal of the season from 45 yards to give the hosts a 3-0 first quarter advantage.
Rees then settled down and responded. The freshman found Floyd to cap a 79-yard drive for the game’s first touchdown and a 7-3 lead. As the half drew to a close, the Trojans gambled and failed to convert a fourth down pass in Irish territory when Brian Smith batted it down. Less than a minute remained, but a draw play to Wood and passes to Floyd and Eifert moved Notre Dame to the USC one yard line with ten seconds to spare. Rees snapped a quick pass to Duval Kamara, who alertly advanced the ball past the pylon before being pushed out of bounds. The Irish led by 13-3, but a missed extra point kept the score right there.
The lethargic Trojans seemed to come alive in the third quarter. Their defense adjusted to Rees and shut down the short passing lanes. An interception by Devon Kennard set up another Houston field goal, and a sack and fumble recovery at the Irish two yard line by Nick Perry led to the game-tying touchdown by Mustain halfway through the third quarter. The teams exchanged punts as rain drenched the field, but Rees made another costly error in the fourth period when he threw downfield into coverage. Marshall Jones recorded the third Trojan interception of the night at the Notre Dame 38.
When Houston squeezed a 37 yard field goal between the uprights for a 16-13 USC lead, it appeared the Irish offense would not be able to find an answer. The ensuing 77-yard drive was simply built upon the determination of a group that came together and refused to be stopped, and no one reflected this attitude more than Hughes. The drop by Johnson of a sure touchdown was a fitting break for a Notre Dame team that enjoyed precious few such moments this season, and, for the seniors, some of the most difficult seasons in the program’s history.
Let’s answer the questions we asked in the pregame review:
Will the improved Irish running game reach the 140-yard mark against the Trojans? The Irish ran for 149 yards, and 61 of them came on that glorious game-winning drive.
Can Notre Dame’s cornerbacks cover Woods, Johnson and Ausberry? Yes, and the Trojan trio helped out by dropping balls on plays when they weren’t so well covered.
Will Floyd be a difference-maker for the Irish in his first game against the Trojans? Definitely. Floyd helped Rees settle down and jump-started Notre Dame’s offense.
Can Notre Dame adjust to USC’s size and speed after playing Army and Utah? The Irish held their own up front and were very well prepared on defense.
Which quarterback will be efficient with his passes and avoid turnovers? Rees turned it over four times and survived, which is nothing short of miraculous. Mustain was not great but he didn’t get much support from his teammates.
Will special teams tilt the balance to one side in what should be a close game? Advantage USC. Joe Houston was three for three despite being erratic all season, and Ruffer clanked an extra point after a poor snap. It also appeared that USC had better field position all night, which is a tribute to the Irish defense.
Which coach will do the best job of preparing his team and managing the game? Both coaches gave their quarterbacks a chance to win and took few risks, but Lane Kiffin’s fourth down gamble before the half was a costly mistake. The Irish defenders were superb, and USC’s defense adjusted well to Notre Dame at halftime. Brian Kelly did well to keep Rees from tanking after the flurry of turnovers nearly cost them the game, and the last Irish drive was their best of the season.
While the Trojan fans may point to Johnson’s drop and say their team should have won, Notre Dame clearly deserved the victory. The Irish had three long scoring drives that ended in touchdowns, while USC had no sustained marches all evening. In their four scoring “drives” that occurred after turnovers, the Trojans netted a total of 38 yards. The drop by Johnson was hardly a fluke in light of several others during the game by USC receivers, and the Trojans hurt themselves with penalties and mental errors. The stingy Notre Dame defense also had a lot to say regarding the outcome.
The Irish should celebrate this victory and deserve to play in a post season bowl game. The strong finish to the season hardly seemed possible a month ago, and the players and coaches deserve credit for showing a level of courage and fortitude that transcends their win-loss record and may serve to unite their long-suffering fan base.
SBTrojan says:
Good Synopsis.
NeverWrong says:
How about a little more credit to Robert Hughes? He won the game for us, and probably won himself a nice pro contract when NFL draft time rolls around. Talk about showing up!
Fred says:
Hughes was MVP of that game no doubt. An ugly game in the rain — he was built fot that. This was the game he’s waited four years for. He’s overcome alot of injuries and inept coaching in his time at ND. It’s great to see him finish up with a game like that.
Jack Timmes '65 says:
Game balls to O line and Robert HUGHES!!!!
Scott says:
i’m a big fan a Hughes, but remember, the guy that hit Rees, causing him to fumble to the 2yd line, was supposed to be blocked by Hughes. He whiffed. That is one of the reasons he hasn’t gotten a lot of carries in his career. i’m stoked to see the guy doing well, but it will take a lot of hard work for him to rise above practice squad in the NFL.
shane says:
In fairness, Hughes had to come across Rees to make that block – it was a tough one so I’d give him a pass in light of how well he played otherwise.
J-Sprizzle says:
Good game. Bring on the Champs Sports Bowl (or whatever Bowl the Irish play in).
terry says:
I wasn’t able to get this game on TV because they showed Oklahoma-Oklahoma State on ABC. I have been saying all along that they won’t be BACK until they beat USC.
They are BACK.
“The last Irish drive was their best of the season.” I like the sound of that.
With the job Rees has done as a freshman I would think Crist will be 2nd string next season, Eifert and Rudolph would look good in a two tight-end formation, with all the injuries we kept winning – we built depth and character and those recruits who de-committed – we can probably replace them with better ones. Or some could change their minds.
I thought they were toast after Tulsa, I happily concede that I was dead wrong.
Jim Kress says:
“I thought they were toast after Tulsa, I happily concede that I was dead wrong.”
Me too.
Irish Bob says:
GTREAT VICTORY!! the beginning of an undefeated streak that will carry over well into next year. Since the Navy farce, our defense has been constantly improing. With most having at least one more year of eligibility left, that portends well for the future.
On offense, I hope that Coach BK now realizes that there is room for a big back like Hughes even in the vaunted Kelly Spread Offense. What about a two back set once in a while–wouldn’t Wood and Hughes present a problem and Hughes (Gray) is good blocker as well.
Floyd and both Smiths must return for another year.
David says:
As a game to watch, it was pretty bad. It was so bad, that had ND lost it instead of won it, we would all have broken our ankles yet again jumping off hte wagon.
But it wasn’t a loss, it was a win. A win against USC. A win by a bunch of inspired kids who cared, and who played with pride and heart. A win in November to end the season, with our sights set on a bowl.
Life is sweet.
Joe Schulz says:
Great Defense! Big plays. Tough minded. Character . . .
Thank you, Smith boys.
Great Hughes. Those who will not be stopped cannot be stopped.
Excellent offensive line play.
Thank you, Floyd.
Dan says:
Nail biting game if ever there was one.
The defence certainly has turned it around to become the strength of the team.
Any win is good, any win against So. Cal. is great, a win stopping that ‘streak’ is wonderful.
Ed Smithe says:
Last night was another incredible effort. Without a doubt we were enormously lucky to pull out that win, but cashing in on that luck was a direct result of not giving up. The coaching was fantastic, especially during that final drive where the adjustments were prominent in manhandling USC’s defensive scheme.
Without a doubt though, the defense has played some incredible, intelligent football. Considering that this team is still very much a work in progress, I think Irish fans should be feeling pretty good about the potential of this program.
NYSubAlum says:
Kudos to the entire team and especially the DEFENSE! They were superb. Put in terrible situations ALL night, they repeatedly stuffed SC…wow. I was at the Navy game and I cannot believe the difference since. Kelly’s love affair with Cierre Wood is perplexing: I have been screaming at the TV all year for Hughes to start, to please insert Hughes on 3rd and short, etc…yet Kelly has stuck with Wood who NEVER gets the tough yards. God Bless Robert Hughes. He was STUDLY when given his shot and absolutely hammered people with quick feet, explosiveness, and he refuses to go down without pounding the other guy trying to tackle him. What a final drive…Perhaps Kelly will give him 15+ carries in the bowl game, I hope so. To overcome 4 turnovers and lousy field position on the road in the rain with a Frosh QB is amazing. This team could have easily been 9-3 looking back at Tulsa and a split with Mich/Mich St…Stanford and Navy just whipped us folks. Let’s hope for a fun opponent like Miami, I think we’d kick their ass!
Garr Isacco says:
Brian Kelly promised that his team would improve in November and he certainly delivered. What a change after the debacles of the last two seasons. This really bodes well for our bowl game and sends us into 2011 on an uptick. We are solid at the skill positions and the defense promises to be dominent. This three game surge should certainly help recruiting as we go down the stretch and finalize this incoming class. We are back!
Chuck says:
The Fighting Irish have been showing the “Fight” increasingly week by week! Great! Defense has been gaining the upper hand of this team. Great to see Robert Hughes showing his true value. He’s been off the field too long. Go Irish, keep it up. The clouds seem to be dissipating at last.
Brian96 says:
Gritty, determined, glorious. That’s how it’s done. I plan to savor this well into the dark winter…
squeeze77 says:
The mental and physical toughness of this team is a wonderful thing. Charlie promised it and BK has delivered. Watching a bowl game with this team will be a treat.
PF Steve says:
H-U-G-H-E-S! Give Kelly credit, unlike the knucklehead in Ann Arbor, he adjusted his offensive style to match his personel. And Brian Smith has been a great player down the strech. Good for him.
This feels so good!
John Sobieski says:
Unmentioned is the huge break USC got when an ND player pulled the ball free from a SoCal receiver and returned it on SoCal’s last drive, and the refs ruled it an incomplete pass. The score should have been 27-16, with ND kicking off again.
Also Ree’s fumble could have been called an incomplete pass but wasn’t. Again, corruption reared its head at the Coliseum. Fortunately the refs were unable to pry this one out of ND’s hands.
Kelly may still be gone in the wake of the death of Declan Sullivan, but at least after his post-Tulsa temper tantrum, he concentrated on teaching and leading instead of excuse-making. Great job by ND under adverse conditions.
DrNick says:
Thanks for recalling the non-called SC fumble. Unfortunately I think the Ree’s fumble gets called as such when you’re on the road (watching the replay he was clearly setting up to pass but was his arm moving forward when he lost the ball? It was not clear to me from the replay IMHO.). The alumni received a fairly definitive letter of support for Coach Kelly after Declan’s death. Is there reason to believe that is not the case?
john r says:
Referees’ “corruption” is a little strong but I remember the LA crew calling holding against ND on a QB sneak into the USC end zone from the ONE-yard line. Go figure!
Ryan says:
Guys, the worst past of the officiating was the clock! When ND needed time at the end of the 2nd the clock ran down to :10 when it should have stopped at :44. Then late in the game there was no clock “mishaps” when SC needed it.
rockne says:
Kelly gone in the wake of Declan’s death? Where did you go to law school. Using your logic, every time there is an accident in a factory at GM or at U.S. Steel, the CEO should be fired, right?
Whitecoat says:
Reply to John Sobieski. You saw the same thing that I did, and was screaming for Kelly to challenge, but what’s the rule there? Could there be a challenge to that?
Also, I thought the entire officiating was a C grade at best for both teams. And what’s with the head official not being able to replace his microphone at half time?
Finally, we are all happy with the win. However, it’s the first time since the 55-0 blow out in the late 60’s in the Coliseum that I have seen SC drop so many passes and have so many false starts and missed tackles. I was at that game. That’s coaching, and thank goodness at half time Pat Haden said he’s got the right head coach.
Whitecoat ’62
NeverWrong says:
51-0 in ’66 with 2nd string QB (Coley O’Briend). And SC went to the Rose Bowl several weeks later.
NeverWrong says:
Typo. It’s O’Brien. He was a true Notre Dame man, someone the University was proud to have enrolled.
Cam says:
I was thinking the same thing..and you are the only other person who has mentioned it. The SC player caught the ball and then turned up field and fumbled. His body was completely turned and he had already gained possession. Also the same with Rees forward pass/fumble. Both were debatable and neither were reviewed. The dropped pass by the SC receiver made up for the horrible calls. THE BALL NEVER LIES!!
Dave88 says:
I agree. The USC running back clearly had possession when he dropped it which made it a fumble. The replay said it all.
PF Steve says:
Yet, Todd Blackledge said the replay confirmed the call. That stuff drives me crazy!
barry says:
Fantastic resilience for a program that was so down a few short weeks ago and staying and building behind coach Kelly despite some difficult off field issues.
Coach Kelly has done a splendid job with Tommy Rees who has developed beyond anyone’s reasonable expectations. Crist is a gamer, but not suited to the spread at all. Next years training camp will be interesting. I just hope we can get at least one big time receiver to replace Michael Floyd should he move on. It has been a great ride to watch him develop over the years.
Onward and Upward Notre Dame
austinirish says:
Nobody should want to play the Irish right now. And that is a tribute to the Dee. One lousy 2 yd TD in 3 games! What a job!
Ray says:
I agree, and remember it was on 4th down after they had it 1st and goal at the 2.
BruceB says:
Regular readers here may recall one of my pre-season predictions was that the ND defense, after they learned to play as a unit, would become ND’s strength. While Tulsa, Utah, Army and USC may not have been the sternest test, the D certainly rose to the occasion, looking at times (USC) like ND defenses of old. Another prediction was that someone who didn’t show much last season would make a major contribution. I think the Smith Brothers fulfill that one. I missed on the nine wins, though…….
Mary says:
What a way to end the regular season!!! I have wanted to see BK use Hughes like that all season…what an incredible job that young man did last night! It is glaringly obvious that this team made the decision to WIN! Our defense looked so strong and I agree with previous posts that the improvement is astounding! I feel for BK and the things he and his family have endured their first season in South Bend. The tragic death of Declan Sullivan should not cost this man his job. It was a horrible ACCIDENT and no one will ever convince me that BK ever intentionally put anyone in harms way. I pray for the Sullivan family daily and will continue to do so. On a lighter note…..On the road, in the rain, four turnovers…….GO IRISH!!!!
irishhawk50 says:
Bring on Boise State!
techd says:
YESSSSSSSSSSSS! i was at the game in south central. cold wet and sour usc fans heading out droves with nothing to say but good game. It was all worth sitting in the rain and watching and hearing the tounge lashing laMe kiffin was getting from the usc fans lol. and the props manti was getting from them LOL i love this win and all the stars aligned for me to get tickets to this game . shock hands with manti good kick stud linebacker . GO IRISH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2010
CJW says:
I am 40 and am a SB native who is Irish/Polish and raised catholic. I didn’t really have a choice but to be a ND fan. I was a SR in HS when ND won thier last NC. I had tickets at the 40 yard line when we beat FSU. I went to Rick Myers rivel HS Concord and watched as he beat PSU in the snow bowl. I love ND and like so many others have suffered the pain of more than a decade of beat downs.
I teared up last night as the game wound down, I knew we would win when they dropped the pass that Smith fell down on. It was just because that D played tight last night. Played their A**es off and set the tone for what should be a great 2011.
This game should be sent to the NCAA as the reason why all officiating needs to become a NCAA responsibility. The clock handling at the end of the 1/2 was nearly criminal. I mean Floyd had a first down on the blown TD call and they let the clock run. IT should have stopped and then the booth could have reviewed what looked a lot like a TD. Still we prevailed and scored.
Then the other two horrible calls. I think the fumble/strip at the 2 was a forward pass. Look at it again, the defender knocks the ball out but Tommy did push it forward and his arm was coming forwad and caused the ball to move forward. ANY one else gets that call but us! The other was the apparent catch and fumble by USC late in the game. What pisses me off is every touchdown we have is reviewied even when it is obvious, yet they did not see fit once to stop the game and review several very iffy calls.
I ussually dont’ bitch about refs, I believe in MJ’s rule which is you play above the officiating, just like ND did last night. Still, anyone who can’t see that ND is clearly disadvantaged in every game where officiating is concerned, is someone who believes refs don’t have bias under the current system.
Enough, ranting, thank you team for playing with passion and thank you BK for figuring out what we do when we beat USC which is run the ball right up the gut on them which we did marvelously at key moments last night…..
DomerinBoston says:
Look, there have been a lot of games over the last couple years when complaining about the refs would be justified… this isn’t one of them. I too thought that the dropped pass should have been a fumble, but replay showed he just didn’t completely have possession. Plus, the refs called WAY more penalties on SC than they did on us. By bitching about good officiating after a game that your team WON is just sad, and you demean yourselves and your fellow fans by doing it. We should be above this.
DrNick says:
The ND defense turned in another solid performance! The ND offense provided a gutsy comeback! Congrats to Kelly for turning things around. With a 6-2 finish, including 3 straight wins to finish the season, the future looks bright. (Aside: The last time ND finished with at least 3 consecutive victories was 2005 in which they won 5 straight during Weis’s inaugural season.)
NeverWrong says:
True about the SC fans, they are good ones, knowledgeable and respectful of the game, appreciative when it’s played well, no matter which side. I stopped going to Cal and Stanford games a long time ago because their respective stadiums were filled with aging drunken alumni or dorky students. Seems like at ND and at the Coliseum, everyone sobers up by game time and watches intently. Kudos to both nations, and to the revitalization of the greatest rivalry in all of college football.
Doc Possum says:
As the game went on, the vaunted SC linebackers didn’t want to tackle Mr.Hughes. He should have been used earlier to soften up the defense. NDs other backs would have benefited. The wet field slowed up the faster SC backs and ends. SC’s pretty boys wanted nothing of the cold, the rain, or the Irish! Outdoor practices in bad weather benefited the Irish last night. That last drive was one of pure will and one that will last in my memory until the bowl game.
Go Irish!
JM says:
It’s a good point. Hughes had a nice 9 yard run in the first half that put the USC defense on its heels – it was our first run of more than 2 yards in the game – those were all by Wood. After that, we had a much better time running the ball even once Wood was back in. I really think we need to use Hughes more to smash some linebackers throughout the game.
tcreevy says:
Great Win…The last touchdown drive was fantastic…They weren’t to be denied…The D, Hughes, The Smiths and Michael Floyd played their Hearts out….There are still many concerns moving forward but we are Finally headed in the right direction!!! Go Irish!!!!!
domerdon says:
The trojans can say that we got lucky if they want. ND gave them plenty of chances. They should have been ahead by a large margin, but our defense held them in check dispite being backed into bad situations by the ND offense. And Johnson’s drop shoudn’t have even mattered, because that fumble by Rees that was never reviewed (pac 10 replay officials) was clearly not a fumble but a incomplete pass. His arm was moving forward.
Scranton Dave says:
The one bad thing about this, is that people seem to think Rees is the long term answer at QB, and he isnt. The defense has played a lot better the last 3 games and that’s the main reason we won, not Rees. I hope Hendrix passes Rees in the spring and Rees is the 3rd string QB next year. Thrilled to finally end the streak though! Lets see if the hoops team can make it a 4 for 4 weekend tonight! Go Irish!!
rockne says:
Rees has 13 TD passes in four games. Not bad for a true freshman!
Joe says:
God bless the Irish. And God bless coach Kelly. May the team and the coaches taste many more great wins in the years to come! Go Irish!!!!
kmjackson says:
The fumble that KLM was bringing to the end zone was almost certainly a fumble. Rees fumble was 50-50 but would not have been overturned on review due to unquestionable evidence required to overturn (although we have all seen bad overturns). As far as luck goes, they certainly got more breaks than we did, so they can make excuses all they want, it will only make them a worse football team.
bass83 says:
How do we kick off with seven seconds left at the end of the first half and no time runs off the clock especially after the previous debacle running thirty seconds off “in error”? Incompetence or a real homer running the clock? Congrats to mr Hughes on a great game! Give me guy who delivers the blow, as opposed to accepting it. GO IRISH!
Don says:
I remember the day Te’o committed to ND,here in Honolulu,sitting at the table with
an ND & & a SC cap in front of him ,when it was his turn to sign his commitment
he donned the ND cap.I said tomyself this kid could make a difference.And he has.
Go Irish
Greatful Fred says:
So we should be grateful for a nifty win by marvelous team play and I for one am delighted. Great job boys! Particularly Tommy Rees. How could any of you ingrates criticize a Freshman who met the challenge with great grit and courage? He is the reason our season was saved.
Terry says:
Great way to end the season despite the fact that ND gave USC all its points. Great defense.
Lane Kiffen will be gone by next year, he is a joke
Joe Schaefer ND'59 says:
The refs were Big East !
Hollywood Hoppy says:
Hughes Hughes Hughes!!! This guy is a human wrecking ball. Play him, play him, play him. Kudos to the O-line and the defense. ND played with great heart, great heart! With great pride, Hollywood Hop.
DenverJoeIrish says:
Wish I could have watched it, the idiots at ABC/ESPN blacked ND/USC out in Denver to show games (albeit entertaining) that in my opinion take a back seat to one of the most respected football rivalries ever. I was relegated to looking for score alerts, which were very infrequent no matter which ESPN/ABC network I watched. Even the game’s recap by ESPN was given third-class coverage at the end of the evening. It increased my distaste for ESPN and how much they love to hate ND. Thank God for Dr. Lou and his public support for ND as the other ESPN talking heads take jabs at the Irish. Anyone have a copy of the game he/she would be willing to send me?
On another note, CONGRATS to the Irish! USC had a shot at taking the lead and possibly winning the game, but I guess the WR drop after Smith slipped helps deaden the pain that remained with me after the 2005 loss. I can’t comment any more about last night’s game since I didn’t see it, so I’ll leave it to those who were fortunate enough to watch it (in the rain or in front of a TV) to continue analyzing it. Anyway, a hat trick to end the regular season is a huge improvement over the last few years, and I’m feeling good about the upcoming recruiting campaign and 2011.
GO IRISH! WIN THE BOWL GAME!
irishhawk50 says:
To DenverJoeIrish,
I haven’t tried it yet, but I think you can watch the reply on the espn web site. If you go to the scoreboard and find the USC-ND box score, there is a link that says ” watch replay”.
Dave88 says:
It feels great to finally beat USC after eight dreadful years. This was a great team effort but several individuals stood out and Robert Hughes was one of the heroes last night. It was great fun watching him knock over trojan defenders like bowling pins. For the first time in a long while ND out punched the cardinal and gold. I’m starting to believe in Kelly and this staff once again.
A special thanks and congratulations to the senior class. They braved some very dark days going back to 2007, but hung in there and acquitted themselves very well last night and the last several weeks.
joe says:
TOP TEN REASONS WHY IT WAS A GREAT DAY FOR THE IRISH!
1) Notre Dame BEATS U$C! (ND gave them the ball FOUR times and “we” still won. The game wasn’t pretty, but Notre Dame WON! I wish Hughes were used more during the season.
2) Michigan loses AGAIN. (I hope they keep Dick Rod one more year and then fire him after 2011).
3) Texas loses AGAIN. (When ND is down it is because they are too slow, to hard academically, and too cold. What is the excuse for Texas?)
4) Florida loses AGAIN. (See #3 above)
5) Penn St. loses. AGAIN. (IF Joe PA is actually doing the coaching, then fine, let him stay. IF not, he is taking credit for work that he is not doing. That is wrong. Too bad ND cannot play Penn St. in a bowl game. I would ND to beat Joe PA!
6) Miami loses AGAIN & fires the coach. (That means 2011 is a total rebuilding year and 2012 could be too. See you in Chicago when Kelly in his 3rd year.
7) Alabama lost with a 24-point lead. Couldn’t happen to a nicer coach.
8) LSU lost.
9) NC. St. lost. Nothing against the team, but more about the coach (he was the coach at BC in 1993) See you in Florida for the bowl game.
10) Stanford is one step closer to getting their coach to the NFL.
GO IRISH!
Steve says:
THANK YOU for posting this!! I love your blog…
Steve
Common Cents
http://www.commoncts.blogspot.com
Jack McGee says:
Gritty. Gritty. Gritty. It was a sloppy, slow, miserable game; the very best of conditions for those with the heart to survive and prevail. We can proudly cheer: Shake Down The Thunder !!!
Drasail2 says:
Offense is the Mind; Defense the heart. Resisting their every effort, even at half field, even in the Red Zone, even after a pick, even on the one; this fierceness is what we have all been pining for. It was a proud display, especially in person, and bodes well for the future. The players deserve a lot for finding what it takes. “Work in Progress” is probably what it will always be, but this team, still defined by its stars Floyd, Teo, Harrison, is starting to exemplify something we’ve lacked; depth. Not just of personnel but of character. The will to impose our will, from the O-line and from the D-line. Go Irish, go Tommy and go Hughes!
To DenverJoeIrish:
http://www.rojadirecta.org/
NNYIrish says:
The entire team played with a lot of heart and character! The offensive line finally lived up to their recruiting stars and opened up some huge holes for the running backs. Kudos to Wood and especially Hughes. Hughes ran with tremendous determination all night! The defense played with lots of heart and repeatedly stuffed the Trojans. The Irish definitely deserve to play in a bowl game and if they play the same way, the may actually win! Go Irish!!!
PJM '79 says:
Let’s be realistic about he defense. USC dropped many passes. They sould have scored on the next-to-last play. It was inexcusable for Smith to fall down as he did. Had USC scored, it would have been another example of ND finding a way to lose. Harrison: keep your feet please. We can’t afford another debacle like the MSU game.
Congrats to Hughes! Inspiring, monster effort. Everyone from ND hopes you have a great bowl game and nothing but success thereafter.
ND Woz says:
Go ND Defense!!!! Finally!!! A Good Defensive team! Defense wins championships. Something to build on for next year and this years bowl game. Allowing 16 points off of 4 turnovers in ND territory. WOW. KUDOS to the “D” Hughes deserves to be used much much more. Remember The Bus against Florida in the bowl game. Give Hughes a larger roll. Go Irish
Spider60 says:
The game was shown live on ESPN3.com – too bad that that was not widely known. However, the replay can also be seen there…I’ve watched it 3 times!
Irish66ND says:
I remember 1999 when ND beat USC in the rain in South Bend. My brother and I said then that the Southern Cal boys could not handle the cold rain and wind…and they still can’t!
Other thoughts:
. 9-3 was within reach easily this year (Tulsa & Mich. St. should have been wins)
. Hughes looked great in this game, but was correctly pegged as 3rd on the depth chart
. We really NEED Floyd back next year if we want to seriously contend (losing Kamara and Allen will hurt too)
. Rees is in no way the annointed QB of the future or even next year (Crist will be back to contend and so will Hendrix).
. Being completely honest, Utah was way over rated, Army was a joke, and this USC team would’ve had a sub 500 record if they played in the Big Ten or two or three other conferences; so the last three wins; while GREAT, do not truly mean…we’re back…yet.
. Kelly is definitely the man!
GraceHall1980 says:
Good post. Great night for the Irish. It’s great for the football program to get that monkey off it’s back. Now, if we Irish fans could stop “whining” about what “could have been” and leave that to the Trojan fans. And to the latter group’s complaints, all I can say is get over it. ND has as many if not more injuries to significant players. RoJo’s drop is no different than Duval’s slip last year. That’s just the way the ball bounces and one of the things that makes college football so great. And as for the depleted numbers, by my recollection the recruiting limits don’t kick in until this year. Thus, I don’t see how you can seriously blame the “NCAA probation” for the issues that you face in that respect.
DenverJoeIrish says:
To irishhawk50: thanks for the suggestion, I’ll check into it.
To Spider60: I checked into ESPN3.com but it looked like they charged for the game (sort of like pay-per-view), did I miss a way to get around that?
What little I have seen in the recaps, I was highly impressed with Hughes, who sure brought back memories of the grit and fortitude of Jerome Bettis and Marc Edwards. Hughes should be a major factor in BK’s game plan for the bowl game, and I’d love to see an old strategy that Lou Holtz would use in beating down the defensive line all game long, then using a tough back like Bettis to pound away during the forth quarter to seal the victory. Hughes can serve this purpose.
Irish66ND, I saw that 1999 game on TV and loved every moment of it. The cameras would show both sidelines and the ND players and coachesGO IRISH! weren’t wearing any rain gear and they were pumped! Then the cameras would show USC’s sideline and the players were wearing ponchos and other rain gear and they were huddled up in small groups to stay warm. The Irish had both the physical AND mental edge that day and it certainly showed between the hedges (and on the score board!).
GO IRISH!!!
DenverJoeIrish says:
I hate my typos….”forth” quarter should be “fourth” quarter. Sorry!
bill all irish says:
WE need to use Robert Hughes more-SC wishes we had’nt. I am oldtimer who remembers Ara’s attacks against Texas. Punishing running game combined with mirror defense that shut down wishbone option offense. Hughes relishes this. He gets better with every carry especially late in the game. It is a shame we did not use him more this season. Miami could be a great time to alternate him with Cierre Moore.