Watch: Epic Notre Dame kickoff return for TD breaks USC’s back

Just when USC football thought it had a chance to come back against Notre Dame football, Jadarian Price called the ballgame with a kickoff return for a touchdown.

Coaches always talk about the importance of special teams but on Saturday night, Notre Dame football broke the back of the USC Trojans with a kickoff return for a touchdown.

With just over nine minutes to go, USC and Caleb Williams had gotten within 11 points. You could feel the tension in the air and if Notre Dame football had given the Trojans the ball back, it could have been a one-score game with enough time for USC to pull off an epic comeback.

A lot had to happen, but you’d be lying if you said you weren’t thinking about it.

Then, just as soon as the thought entered our minds, Jadarian Price effectively ended the game with a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

It was epic and it was the dagger in a defining win for Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame football. Yes, there was still plenty of time on the clock, but rallying from 18 points down, after seeing something like that isn’t likely.

If Caleb Williams can pull it off, then he probably does deserve the Heisman Trophy. Yet, I have a feeling that the narrative coming out of this game will be how his Heisman campaign is now in serious jeopardy, just like the playoff hopes of the USC Trojans.

Even if USC wins out, I don’t know that a playoff berth is a guarantee. The Trojans would certainly need Texas or Florida State to lose and it still might not be enough.

That will be the topic of conversation, as well as the epic kickoff return for a touchdown by Jadarian Price.