Christian Gray‘s 99-yard pick 6 with 3:39 remaining clinched No. 5 Notre Dame’s 49–35 win over USC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday. With the victory, the Fighting Irish clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff.
The Trojans were driving toward a potential game-tying touchdown after a 22-yard reception by Duce Robinson and 23-yard run from Quinten Joyner. That put USC on the Irish’s 21-yard line.
Jayden Maiava then looked for Kyron Hudson down the right sideline. But he underthrew his pass while Hudson fell and Gray picked off the throw at the 1-yard line. The sophomore returned the ball 60 yards down the sideline before moving toward the left hash and got to the end zone with four Irish teammates keeping defenders away from him.
On the following possession, USC again drove toward a potential touchdown, moving 62 yards in seven plays. But on 4th-and-6 from the Notre Dame 13-yard line, Maiava was intercepted again, this time in the end zone by safety Xavier Watts.
The senior ran his pick 6 back 100 yards with no Trojans offensive player coming close to a tackle, likely tired out after two consecutive long drives.
What appeared to be a USC rally began on Ja’Kobi Lane‘s touchdown catch with 8:43 remaining in the fourth quarter. The score cut the Irish’s lead to 35–28. The Trojans’ defense then forced Notre Dame to punt on the next possession, helped by a holding penalty and sack by Jamil Muhammad.
A 60-yard punt from James Rendell pushed USC back to its 16-yard line. However, the Trojans drove 63 yards in five plays before Gray’s fateful interception demolished the chances of a comeback.
