USC football: 3 takeaways from season-defining win over Notre Dame

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Nov 26, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) rushes for a touchdown in the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Did Caleb Williams win the Heisman tonight?

This weekend there were four players with an opportunity to get invitations to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony: CJ Stroud, Bo Nix, Drake Maye, and Caleb Williams. Bijan Robinson should get an invite, but the Heisman is a quarterback’s award these days. Of those players, Williams separated himself from the rest.

Every other player in the Heisman race had fairly pedestrian games, and they all lost. Williams was electric tonight, leading the Trojans against the Irish. Notre Dame played well offensively, showing some playmaking ability in the passing game. However, Williams and the Trojans answered every time Notre Dame scored.

The box score does not tell the entire story of how Williams dictated the flow and pace of the game. USC dominated the flow of the game, not the Irish, with their running game. Williams made two brilliant plays with his legs tonight. In one play, he eluded the Irish pass rush, turning what should have been a sack into a 19-yard game.

Another, he eluded defenders for a touchdown run. The first play compelled announcer Chris Fowler to call Williams “joystick.”

Time and time again, Williams created time for his receivers to get open by eluding the pass rush.

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