USC 44, Notre Dame 24
This rivalry will never amount to Michigan-Ohio State, but nevertheless, fans that tuned into this contest saw some fireworks. USC just had way too much firepower for the Irish defense. It seemed that whenever Notre Dame needed a stop on defense, it never came. Losing safety Chinedum Ndukwe to a knee injury certainly hurt the Irish in trying to defend a tremendous effort given by Dwayne Jarrett (7 rec. 133 yards, 3 TDs). But John David Booty (266 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs) looked calm and in control all night (more so than Hesiman hopeful Brady Quinn), so I don’t think Ndukwe’s injury was the difference maker. The USC wide out duo is just too much to deal with for most opponents. If the Trojans beat UCLA next weekend, what a match up it will be between USC’s receivers vs. Ohio State’s secondary.
While I’m on the subject, I’m warming up to an USC-Ohio State national championship. I don’t think either defense would completely shut down the opposing offense and we might see sixty points, but it would certainly be entertaining. The way the Trojans dismantled Notre Dame Saturday night, it doesn’t bode too well for a Florida team that barely escaped a win over Florida State. I know it was a rivalry game, but USC completely thrashed the No. 6 team in the country, while UF squeaked by an unranked FSU program that was playing with a quarterback in Drew Weatherford that seemed to barely try. It also doesn’t help that Florida plays Arkansas in the SEC Championship game next week after the Razorbacks just fell to LSU at home. Beating a one-loss Razorback team would have obviously held more water than if Florida knocks off Arkansas now.
If USC doesn’t fall asleep like it did against Oregon State next week, count me in for one who believes the Trojans deserve an outright chance at the Buckeyes come January 8th.
