SOUTH BEND, Ind. — USC never looked like a national title contender this season, and the nation saw it first-hand Saturday night.
The No. 11 Trojans were completely overmatched by No. 13 Notre Dame, 49-14, and it’s a result that does not surprise anyone who watched USC closely through its first seven games.
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Despite the avalanche of hype that made USC an early College Football Playoff favorite, the Trojans never looked like a top-four team all season. Even worse, USC never got better, although you could not convince its coaching staff of that fact.
“I don’t think that’s the case,” offensive coordinator Tee Martin said, when asked why USC has not improved.
USC escaped with victories over Texas and Utah this season, but Notre Dame was on a completely different level. Unlike the other teams on the Trojans’ schedule, the Irish did not beat themselves or allow USC to make its usual amount of turnovers and mistakes without consequence.
“We didn’t come out ready,” USC safety Chris Hawkins said.
But that was true last week too, when USC trailed Utah 21-7 at halftime. Notre Dame was not Utah. The Irish blew the Trojans off the line of scrimmage on both sides and kept quarterback Sam Darnold from getting into a rhythm by dominating USC’s offensive line. He finished the night completing 20 of 28 for 229 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw his 10th interception and also fumbled.
“We’re going to sulk for a day or two,” Darnold said.
Maybe longer. The Trojans' national title hopes are essentially gone. USC can still play for the Pac-12 championship, but that is hardly satisfying for a team that finished last season ranked No. 3 and expected more in 2017.
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“You deal with the reality of where we’re at,” USC coach Clay Helton said after the loss. “We’re 6-2 and in first place in the Pac-12 South. We still have a lot to play for. We control our own destiny.”
This is not going to excite USC’s fan base, which was livid Saturday night after an offseason of high expectations. USC expects to play for national titles. It does not expect to suffer its worst loss to Notre Dame since 1966.
And all of a sudden, the schedule looks tougher. USC must travel to Arizona State next weekend, a team it was expected to easily handle. But the Sun Devils upset Washington and Utah the last two weeks. USC is reeling from its Notre Dame debacle. Even the Trojans' strengths are considered weaknesses now, like the running game, which amassed only 76 yards against the physical Irish. Meanwhile, USC’s defense surrendered 377 yards rushing.
When USC lost to Notre Dame 51-0 in 1966, Trojans coach John McKay was widely quoted as saying, "Notre Dame will never beat us again."
No one felt bold enough to make a similar statement in 2017.