Notre Dame defeated USC 49-35 in Week 14, with the visiting Fighting Irish covering the 7-point spread in a high-scoring affair. Notre Dame's defense was the decisive factor, particularly in the fourth quarter, where two interceptions by Christian Gray and Xavier Watts—both returned for touchdowns—sealed the victory.

USC's Jayden Maiava led all passers with 360 yards but threw critical late-game interceptions that proved costly. Duce Robinson was USC's receiving leader with 63 yards, while Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love led all rushers with 99 yards.

The game was closely contested throughout, with 12 lead changes and a maximum win probability swing of 51.21 percent. Notre Dame's offensive explosion in the third quarter, when they scored 21 points, proved pivotal. The final score of 49-35 surpassed the over-under of 52.5 points, finishing just under the total for a push on betting lines.