Notre Dame football: 3 takeaways from high-stakes win vs USC Trojans

Audric Estime, Notre Dame football (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Audric Estime, Notre Dame football (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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USC QB Caleb Williams couldn’t shake Notre Dame football
USC QB Caleb Williams couldn’t shake Notre Dame football’s defensive schemes (Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports) /

Notre Dame ends possibility of second Heisman Trophy for Caleb Williams

What a nightmare scenario it was for USC QB Caleb Williams this week against Notre Dame. The junior signal caller had one of his worst performances of the season at the most inopportune time. Williams completed just 23 of his 37 pass attempts for 199 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions. He ended the game with 13 carries for negative eight yards, which should tell you the kind of pressure the Irish were putting on the star quarterback.

Williams was sacked six times, which is the most he’s been sacked in a regular season game since Nov. 27, 2021 against No. 7 Oklahoma State back when he was a member of the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Irish almost certainly ended the hopes of USC QB Caleb Williams winning another Heisman Trophy after forcing the star player into three critical interceptions. To be the best player in college football, you can have few (if any) blemishes on your record to claim the sport’s top prize. This performance against the Notre Dame football team will remain in the mind’s of Heisman voters for the rest of the season.

Things got so bad and so out of hand, USC Head Coach Lincoln Riley decided to keep Williams on the sideline for the team’s final fourth-quarter drive to ensure he goes into next week’s home game against Utah unscathed.