USC struggled out of the gate, allowing Notre Dame to score on its first three possessions. The Trojans defense couldn't contain quarterback Jack Coan or running back Kyren Williams, who combined for 237 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

"We just didn't execute the game plan early on," said head coach Clay Helton. "We gave up too many big plays and couldn't get our offense going."

Trailing 21-0 midway through the second quarter, USC finally started to show signs of life. Quarterback Kedon Slovis engineered a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that was capped off by a Travon Van 14-yard touchdown reception. The Trojans added another touchdown before halftime to cut the deficit to 28-14.

In the third quarter, USC continued to chip away at the lead, with Slovis connecting with Gary Bryant Jr. for a 51-yard touchdown to make it 28-21. However, the Irish responded with a field goal on their next possession, and then put the game away with two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

Despite the loss, Slovis had a solid performance, completing 24 of 35 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns. The sophomore quarterback finished the season with 3,241 passing yards and 27 touchdowns.

"Kedon played his heart out tonight," Helton said. "He's a great player with a bright future."

USC had several opportunities to get back into the game, but costly penalties and turnovers proved to be too much to overcome. The Trojans were penalized eight times for 60 yards, and Slovis threw two interceptions.

"We made too many mistakes tonight," said linebacker Drake Jackson. "We couldn't afford to give a team like Notre Dame extra chances."

The loss to Notre Dame marks the end of a disappointing season for USC, who finished with a 4-8 record. It is their worst record since 2018, when they went 5-7.

"This is not the way we wanted to end the season," Helton said. "We're going to take a hard look at what went wrong and make the necessary changes."

The Trojans will now turn their attention to the offseason, where they will look to rebuild their roster and prepare for the 2022 season. With Slovis returning as the starting quarterback, USC has a solid foundation to build upon. However, they will need to improve their defense and add depth to their offense if they want to compete for a Pac-12 title next year.

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