Notre Dame Football: Top home games of the last 50 years

Notre Dame Football: Top home games of the last 50 years

2005: USC 34 Notre Dame 31

If you didn’t hate USC before 2005, you did after.

USC was a machine, with Heisman winners at running back (Reggie Bush) and quarterback (Matt Leinart). They were coming off an undefeated season in 2004, where they dominated Oklahoma in the BCS National Championship Game.

They were coming to South Bend 5-0, ranked 1st in the nation, and expected to waltz to another national championship. To make matters worse, in USC’s past two games against the Irish they won by 31 points both times.

Notre Dame was a team with hope in 2005. They had hired Charlie Weis, Tom Brady’s offensive coordinator, who would give them a decided schematic advantage. Brady Quinn was arguably the best quarterback in Notre Dame history. The Irish were 4-1, ranked 9th, and had wins over three ranked teams including Michigan.

The Irish took the field in their green jerseys, but weren’t able to land the first punch and USC led 14-7 after the 1st quarter. The 2nd quarter would be a different story, as Notre Dame counter-punched with a long touchdown drive and a Tom Zbikowski punt return touchdown.

USC tied the game at 21 in the 3rd quarter before the game went crazy. With two minutes left, a Quinn touchdown run gave the Irish a 31-28 lead. Unfortunately, the Trojans offense was one of the best college football has ever seen. They moved downfield quickly, before a Leinart fumble sent the stadium into pandemonium.

A friendly home clock operator let the clock melt to nothing and students charged the field, but the referees put seven seconds on the clock and the ball on the one yard line. USC went for the win on a Leinart sneak. He was stuffed, but Bush came and pushed him in from behind. It should have been a penalty, but the referees missed it.

USC won, and the rivalry became that much more intense.