Slap the Sign
Fansided

5 Biggest Notre Dame Wins Over USC

By Daniel Morrison

SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 22: Members of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish defense line up against the offense of the University of Southern California Trojans at Notre Dame Stadium on October 22, 2011 in South Bend, Indiana. USC defeated Notre Dame 31-17. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 22: Members of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish defense line up against the offense of the University of Southern California Trojans at Notre Dame Stadium on October 22, 2011 in South Bend, Indiana. USC defeated Notre Dame 31-17. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next
Notre Dame
Notre Dame /

4. 1952- The Jeweled Shillelagh introduced

Notre Dame 9, USC 0

The winner of Notre Dame vs. USC didn’t always receive the Jeweled Shillelagh Trophy. That was an honor introduced in 1952. The group that introduced the trophy was the Notre Dame Alumni Club of Los Angeles. Before 1952, the two schools had only played the rivalry for pride. Boring.

Even nicer than the brand new trophy being added to the game was that it was another top 10 match-up. Notre Dame came into the game ranked 7th, but with a disappointing record of 6-2-1. In Frank Leahy’s 10th season, the Fighting Irish were out of the National Championship picture.

USC wasn’t exactly on the outside looking in.

The Trojans were ranked 2nd in the country. At 9-0, they had beaten two top 5 teams already, Cal and UCLA. With another Top 10 win, USC had a good shot at jumping the No. 1 ranked Michigan State Spartans.

USC wouldn’t get that win they were looking for, and ironically would lose by a score mirroring their record coming into the game. 9-0.

Early on USC made a failed pitch on a kick return. Notre Dame recovered the pitch, and was in business from the 19 yard line. The Irish eventually pounded the ball into the end zone, but would miss the extra point.

The Irish would get a field goal in the second half.

That would be plenty of offense for the Notre Dame defense. The Fighting Irish had been dominant on defense all season long. They only allowed three teams to score 20 or more points. Two of those teams were ranked in the top 5, including Michigan State.

In the end, the Irish earned their second shutout in as many weeks, and ended USC’s hopes of winning a National Championship.

The game was so cold that USC insisted that from this point forward, the games in South Bend would be played in mid-October rather than at the end of the season. They felt that the cold was an unfair advantage for the Irish, and didn’t want to lose out on another shot at a National Championship.

When the game is played in Los Angeles, it is still played at the end of the season.

USC’s season was still a good one. They won the PCC and the Rose Bowl over Wisconsin. Why didn’t they play Michigan State in the Rose Bowl? 1952 was Sparty’s last season of independence, and wouldn’t join the Big 10 until 1953.

Notre Dame wouldn’t go onto a bowl game. Still, derailing your biggest rival’s season is a nice consolation prize.

Home/Notre Dame Football