Irish Look to Avenge Three Game Skid to SC
Frank Vitovitch
October 13, 1999

South Bend, Ind - After not losing to the University of Southern California since 1982, Notre Dame lost to the Trojans for the first time in 14 years in 1996 and have not beat them since.  The Irish dominated the series under Gerry Faust who was 3-2 vs them and Lou Holtz was was 10-1-1 against the Trojans, but the Irish have yet to beat them during the tenure of current head coach Bob Davie.

The skid started in 1996.  Notre Dame headed into the game 8-2 needing a win to get into a major bowl game which would mean receiving a seven plus million dollar pay day for the university.  The Irish were the #10 team in the country coming in and controlled the game until the 4th quarter.  The defense played a great 3 quarters of football, but the the fourth quarter was a different story.

Two key fumbles aided in the Irish's loss to the rival Trojans in 96.  Then senior quarterback Ron Powlus completed a pass inside the USC five yard line to Malcolm Johnson on the team's first drive of the 4th quarter, but Johnson fumbled the ball and USC recovered at the one.  The Irish still lead however.   The defense forced USC to punt, but Allen Rossum fumbled the punt on a fair catch and USC recovered at the Notre Dame 12.  They quickly scored making the score 14-12 ND, but missed a two point conversion.

Notre Dame responded by marching down the field and putting it in the end zone on an Autry Denson nine yard run.  The score was now 20-12 pending the extra point.  Jim Sanson, then a freshman, only had to put the ball through the posts from 20 yards away and the Irish would have been in a major bowl, but he missed - a very costly missed PAT.

USC rallied, and scored with under two minutes to go on a Delon Washington 15 yard touchdown run and the Trojans converted the two point attempt on a another run by Washington.

The game then went into overtime.  USC got the ball first and Brad Otton, who came back from a 1st half injury, threw a 5 yard pass to Rodney Sermons making the score 27-20.  Notre Dame got the ball back but could do nothing with it. They had handed USC the game and Lou Holtz left Notre Dame on a very low note.

In 1997, things were bad to say the least for Notre Dame as they entered the game 2-4 under new head coach Bob Davie.  Things weren't much better for USC who entered the game 2-3.  Notre Dame, like in 96, had the game to win but gave it away.  In short, three missed field goals by Jim Sanson along with a late interception by Ron Powlus sealed the Irish's fate and left them 2-5 and in a desperate state.

Despite having the ball for six plays in the 3rd quarter and gaining 2 yards rushing in that same quarter, the Irish found themselves tied up with their rivals late in the game.  They were on the march when Ron Powlus tried to hit Bobby Brown, but threw into traffic, getting the ball tipped into the air and intercepted.   USC ate up two minutes of clock and kicked the go ahead field goal.

The Irish tried to come back, but could get no farther than their own 42 as time ran out.  For the second year in a row, missed kicks killed Notre Dame against USC.

Last season was supposed to be different.  Notre Dame came into the game 9-1 with a top 10 rankings and hopes of a BCS game.  Like in 96, all they had to do was beat a mediocre USC team to get in, but again they failed.

A week earlier we all know the fiasco at the end of the LSU game that cost Jarious Jackson the last game of the season when he tried taking a safety, and two inexperienced quarterbacks tried to beat a formidable defense from USC.   Eric Chappell, a junior, got the starter but last only a few series, throwing two interceptions in three attempts.

Arnaz Battle didn't do much better though, completing just 7 of 19 passes for 94 yards and two interceptions.  He had his chances though.   he had Malcolm Johnson wide open for a touchdown on one play but badly under threw him and the play was broken up, and on another Joey Getherall had a sure touchdown, but he miss judged the ball and it hit off his finger tips.  The defense gave a valiant effort, but the offense couldn't do anything and was shut out for the first time since Miami blanked the Irish in 1987.

This year IS different though.  The Irish come into the game on a two game winning streak and off a huge win over an above average Arizona State team.  They have a healthy Jarious Jackson who is playing the best football of his career and is coming off a school record tying 4 touchdown performance against the Sun Devils.

USC comes into the game coming off a loss to an unpredictable Arizona team and without its starting quarterback Carson Palmer.  Don't over look the Trojans though, they have a great defense and their starting quarterback Mike Van Raaphorst started the first eight games of 98 so he has experience.

Notre Dame will have to run the ball well early to open up the passing game for Jarious.  If the offensive line can play as they did from the second quarter on from last week, and open up holes for Tony Fisher and Julius Jones, the play action game will open up and Jarious Jackson could have another great game.  He is on a high note now after throwing 6 INTs through 3 games, he has thrown none the past two and has thrown 6 touchdowns during the same stretch.

The Notre Dame has to do exactly what it did last week, create turnovers and stop the passing game.  When they force opponents to run, the defense has done a decent job stopping it.  If the defense can stop the pass and get a few turnovers for the offense, the Irish will win this game fairly easily.  This is however, still Notre Dame vs. USC - a great rivalry - and nothing can be taken for granted.

My Prediction?  Notre Dame 38 USC 17 -- GO IRISH!!