Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1529781
GAME PREVIEW: USC 34 NOV. 30, 2024 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED In Week 3 at Michigan, the Trojans allowed a 10-play, 89-yard drive in the fourth quarter highlighted by gradu- ate student running back Kalel Mull- ings taking off on a 63-yard scamper. Mullings broke through the disappoint- ing USC defensive front and somehow fought his way out of two tackling at- tempts on the back end, running all the way to the red zone before scoring seven plays later. USC would go on a three-game losing streak in October, with all three game- winning scores occurring in the final minute or overtime. The Trojans hit rock bottom when they blew a 14-point halftime lead to Maryland, starting with a disastrous early third-quarter interception from Moss and finishing with yet another goal-line touchdown run. Finally, at Washington, Moss threw an ill-advised pass over the middle on third-and-5 near midfield. USC, hold- ing a 21-20 lead at the time, gave it up again. It was Moss' third pick of the day and ninth of the season. On the ensuing drive, redshirt fresh- man wide receiver Keith Reynolds took a jet sweep 4 yards to the house for the Huskies. The Trojans had multiple chances to reclaim the lead, but they were stopped at the goal line on each of them. That was the last straw. Early that next week, Riley pulled the trigger. "You have a loyalty to all of these guys individually, but you got a bigger loyalty to the team and program, and it has al- ways got to stay that way," Riley said. CBS Sports' Tom Fornelli put it best on the website formerly known as Twitter. "USC's issues are far larger than Miller Moss, but the turnovers are making it a lot more difficult to over- come the issues," Fornelli said. Here's the thing though: No one ranked lower than the Trojans has beaten them at home. Only No. 4 Penn State has done it this year, and that took 244 yards from senior tight end Tyler 2024 NOTRE DAME SCHEDULE Date Opponent (TV) Result/Time (ET) Aug. 31 at Texas A&M W, 23-13 Sept. 7 Northern Illinois L, 16-14 Sept. 14 at Purdue W, 66-7 Sept. 21 Miami (Ohio) W, 28-3 Sept. 28 Louisville W, 31-24 Oct. 12 Stanford W, 49-7 Oct. 19 vs. Georgia Tech# W, 31-13 Oct. 26 vs. Navy^ W, 51-14 Nov. 9 Florida State W, 52-3 Nov. 16 Virginia W, 35-14 Nov. 23 vs. Army* W, 49-14 Nov. 30 at USC (CBS) 3:30 p.m. # at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta; ^ at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.; * Shamrock Series at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, N.Y. ; Games on NBC are also televised by Peacock 2024 USC SCHEDULE Date Opponent (TV) Result/Time (ET) Sept. 1 vs. LSU* W, 27-20 Sept. 7 Utah State W, 48-0 Sept. 21 at Michigan L, 27-24 Sept. 28 Wisconsin W, 38-21 Oct. 5 at Minnesota L, 24-17 Oct. 12 Penn State L, 33-30 (OT) Oct. 19 at Maryland L, 29-28 Oct. 25 Rutgers W, 42-20 Nov. 2 at Washington L, 26-21 Nov. 16 Nebraska W, 28-20 Nov. 23 at UCLA W, 19-13 Nov. 30 Notre Dame (CBS) 3:30 p.m. * at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas Head coach Lincoln Riley's squad has struggled in its first season in the Big Ten, losing games on the road against Maryland, Michigan and Minnesota while starting 2-5 in league play. PHOTO COURTESY USC ATHLETICS