Notre Dame didn’t need a perfect CJ Carr to beat USC. It needed a poised one. In a game defined by rain, emotion, and trench warfare, Carr completed 16 of 26 passes for just 136 yards with one touchdown and one interception, adding a one-yard rushing score as the Irish leaned on their run game and defense to grind out a 34–24 victory.
It was Carr’s roughest outing of the season — and, in a way, his most human. Late in the second quarter, with Notre Dame facing third-and-goal inside the USC 5-yard line, the play broke down. The receiver the call was designed for was covered, and instead of throwing the ball away, Carr scrambled toward the sideline and launched an off-balance throw into traffic. It was intercepted near the goal line — one of those plays every quarterback wishes he could instantly take back.
It was a play reminiscent of Carr’s interception against Texas A&M in a similar spot. In that game, Notre Dame was also driving to go up two scores towards the end of the first half knowing it would get the ball to start the second half. In both cases, Carr made an ill-advised throw that was intercepted just when it looked like Notre Dame was about to take control of the game.
The turnover killed a scoring chance and shifted momentum to USC, which answered with a field goal to cut Notre Dame’s lead to one. Carr came off the field visibly emotional, slamming his hands together and covering his face with a towel as teammates and coaches consoled him.
Freeman saw the frustration but also the drive behind it. “CJ’s a competitor. He’s an ultra-competitor, and I don’t want him to use it to be a negative thing against him,” he said after the game. “He’s resilient, man. Came back the second half and really did a good job of leading our offense down the field.”
Struggling Early, Steady Late
Carr entered Saturday averaging more than 270 passing yards per game and completing over two-thirds of his throws. Against USC, the rhythm never came. His 5.2 yards per attempt were his lowest of the season, and even short throws were affected by the rain and slick football.
Freeman said the conditions dictated the plan. “We weren’t going to be able to throw the ball a lot in the second half because of the moisture and the weather,” he explained. The Irish adjusted, running the ball 44 times for 306 yards and four touchdowns while asking Carr to simply manage the offense.
Carr responded with composure. He didn’t attempt a pass longer than 15 yards in the second half, instead leaning on quick reads and handoffs. His one-yard quarterback sneak midway through the fourth quarter extended Notre Dame’s lead to 34–24 — effectively ending the game and giving him a small measure of redemption for the earlier mistake.
Freeman’s Message: “Be You. Don’t Press.”
Freeman later shared what he told his quarterback in the moment. “If he knew what was causing those incompletions, he would have corrected,” Freeman said. “I just mentioned, ‘Hey, man, just be you. Don’t press.’”
That simple directive captured the approach Notre Dame took after the interception. There was no panic, no loss of trust. Carr remained calm in the huddle, and the team around him delivered. Jeremiyah Love ran for 228 yards — the most ever inside Notre Dame Stadium — while Jadarian Price added 87 yards, a rushing touchdown, and a 100-yard kickoff return that flipped the game’s momentum.
The Irish finished with 442 total yards and won the turnover battle 3–1. Carr’s stat line was far from impressive, but it is notable that Notre Dame was able to not only survive the inevitable “looks like a redshirt freshman” game, they won it by 10 over their archrival.
Growth in the Grind
Freeman’s comments afterward reflected pride more than concern. “He’s resilient, man,” he said again. And it showed. Carr’s ability to compartmentalize — to make a catastrophic play in the second quarter and then command a 14-point swing after halftime — said more about his potential than any touchdown pass could.
Every quarterback has that one throw he can’t forget. For Carr, it came in the rivalry game he’ll always remember. It was reckless, costly, and very nearly game-changing. But as long as he learns from it and never does it again, it won’t be a mistake that follows him thanks to Notre Dame’s 10 point win.
Freeman’s advice summed it up best: “Just be you. Don’t press.”
Carr did just that — and Notre Dame walked away with a win that will matter far more in the long run than a flawless stat sheet ever could.
Great post. We have watched Carr make mistakes and learn from since game one. I doubt he makes that mistake again. He is too sharp and appears to be an excellent learner. Go Irish!!!