THE FIFTH QUARTER LOU SOMOGYI
"A
aarrrgghhh!" That was my reac‑
tion during USC's 17‑12 loss at
home to Washington Oct. 8.
That's because the Notre Dame‑USC
games I dread the most are the ones
where the Trojans are the proverbial
wounded animal that needs to defeat
the Fighting Irish for atonement and to
help salvage a disappointing season.
I guess it began in 1970 (the year I
discovered football), when 9‑0 Notre
Dame traveled to 5‑4‑1 USC, which was
routed 45‑20 by cross‑town rival UCLA
a week earlier. Naturally, the Trojans
built a 38‑14 lead over the Irish en route
to a victory that prevented head coach
Ara Parseghian's team (which would
upset No. 1 Texas in the Cotton Bowl)
from winning the national title.
One year later, 2‑4 USC entered Notre
Dame Stadium on a three‑game losing
streak, including two straight at the
Coliseum, with a 33‑18 setback to hated
Stanford. Naturally, head coach John
McKay's USC team built a 28‑7 halftime
cushion and went on to defeat the 5‑0
Irish.
In 1980, 9‑0‑1 Notre Dame entered the
Los Angeles Coliseum with a national
title berth set up versus No. 1 Georgia in
the Sugar Bowl, while USC was coming
off consecutive losses. Naturally, just
like 10 years earlier, the Trojans domi‑
nated in a 20‑3 victory to end the Fight‑
ing Irish title dreams.
In 1996, Notre Dame head coach Lou
Holtz entered the Coliseum 9‑0‑1 ver‑
sus the Trojans — who were coming
off three straight defeats. A major bowl
berth was on the line for the Irish. So
naturally, it proved to be Holtz's finale
with a 27‑20 overtime loss for an 8‑3
mark and the rejection of any bowl over‑
tures.
USC Is Most Dangerous
As The Wounded Animal
Last year, the Trojans rebounded from a 38-20
shellacking at the hands of UCLA the week prior
by pummeling the Irish 49-14 in the Los Angeles
Coliseum.
PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA
