USC Trojans vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish Match Player Stats On Oct 12, 2019

Ian Book passed for 165 yards and one touchdown and rushed for 49 yards and another score as No. 9 Notre Dame fended off visiting USC's rally for a 30-27 win Saturday night in South Bend, Ind.

Cole Kmet and Braden Lenzy also scored touchdowns for Notre Dame (5-1), which won its 15th home game in a row. Tony Jones Jr. led a dominant ground attack with 25 carries for 176 yards.

True freshman Kedon Slovis completed 24 of 35 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns for USC (3-3). Amon-Ra St. Brown and Tyler Vaughns each hauled in a touchdown pass from Slovis, and Markese Stepp had a rushing touchdown.

Notre Dame outgained USC by a 473-426 margin, including a 308-171 advantage in rushing yards.

USC led 3-0 at the end of the first quarter thanks to a 40-yard field goal by Chase McGrath.

Notre Dame responded with two touchdowns and a field goal in the second quarter to grab a 17-3 halftime lead.

Kmet started the rally when he hauled in a 10-yard touchdown pass from Book with 8:37 left in the second quarter. Less than four minutes later, Lenzy scored on a 51-yard rush down the left sideline.

Jonathan Doerer hit a 45-yard field goal just before halftime, and then connected from 52 yards to push Notre Dame's lead to 20-3 early in the third quarter.

USC responded on the following possession with its own field goal, a 27-yarder by McGrath.

The Trojans trimmed the deficit to 20-13 on a 38-yard touchdown pass from Slovis to St. Brown with 2:34 left in the third.

St. Brown, whose brother Equanimeous starred for Notre Dame before being drafted by the Green Bay Packers, scored on a play-action pass.

Notre Dame answered with a 43-yard field goal by Doerer to make it 23-13 with 13:47 to play.

USC continued its comeback bid by pulling within 23-20 with 10:27 remaining. Slovis lofted a 5-yard touchdown pass to Vaughns, who hauled in the ball along the right side of the end zone.

The Fighting Irish created some breathing room on an 8-yard rushing touchdown by Book with 3:33 to go. He tucked the ball and sprinted up the middle to cap a 14-play, 75-yard drive.

USC fought back yet again. Stepp scored from 2 yards out on a second-effort rush to make it 30-27 with 1:04 left, but the Irish recovered the ensuing onside kick.

--Field Level Media