USC vs. #5 Notre Dame (Senior Day)
November 30, 2024 at 12:41pm
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA: 73,241 (of 77,500)
Total Time: 3 hours 38 minutes

Another regular season has come and gone far too quickly. Now all there is to do is await whether USC gets invited to the Souplantation Bowl or Kenny Roger’s Roaster Bowl (they’re not real bowls, but these fake names should trigger a few people). Although the season would have been disappointing regardless (especially compared to how it started), being able to sweep the rivals would have been nice. Having a shot to end at 8-5 also would have been nice. Instead, the game ended in two pick sixes to send us to a 6-6 finish. 

It’s kind of crazy when you look back at it, because Jayden Maiava’s stats to Notre Dame DBs are 198 yards and 2 TDs. Meanwhile, Notre Dame’s own QB was only at 155 yards for 2 TDs. Maiava built up enough stats to play for both teams. The bill had to come due eventually: live by the Maiava tricks, die by the Maiava tricks. 

On the other side of the ball, the defense gave up a season high of points, even if you remove the two pick sixes from the scoring total. The previous given up was 33 in OT against then #4, playoff bound Penn State. The Fighting Irish didn’t punt until 4th quarter. Still better than last year, I guess. 

In the end, it was tough for both teams to play defense. While Notre Dame tried to confuse the new starter with constantly shifting the defensive line and getting some rushes way outside the tackles and the tight ends, Maiava was able to keep the wheels on the bus until the late in the fourth quarter. The constant fade routes would miss sometimes, but he would complete enough of them to move the offense and score points against a defense that ranked well, statistically. But let’s not go too far with the compliments for the offense…

We saw some weird cooking this game was well. Bringing Jake Jensen in at the goal line for a run coming out of a timeout. Why in the world did Riley decide to bring in the third stringer to run a read option the ended with him diving for a 1 yard loss? On the subject of third stringers, there was the curious decision to bring in third string running back, Bryan Jackson, on his first play of the day (and first touch in a month) to run a speed option that almost ended in a fumble. Yeah, it hurt to have Woody Marks exit the game early due to injury, but that play could’ve easily been run by Quinten Joyner. Not sure why that was what the coaching staff chose, but that kind of thing probably contributed to Joyner shopping to see what’s out there in the transfer portal. These plays ultimately weren’t decisive factors in the loss, but just strange enough to point out…

Good/Badisms

Bad/Bad: Notre Dame was 100% on 4th down conversions (3 of 3) and USC was 0% (0 of 3)

Good/Bad/Bad: Czaplicki nailed a nasty 74-yard punt that the coverage team failed to down, resulting in a touchback, and then ultimately wiped out by an illegal shift penalty.

Good: Ja’Kobi Lane with 3 touchdown receptions 

Bad: Allowing nearly 270 rushing yards

Bad: Outgaining Notre Dame by over 100 yards, yet being outscored

Good: Makai Lemon attained his second 100+ yard receiving game

CommBro Breaker

Did I use the break between the end of the regular season and the Vegas Bowl to drag my feet on publishing another post? Find out next time, on City of Angles. 

So you’re probably itching to know who we think was the best QB of the season here. The votes are in from all City of Angles staff, and it’s unanimous. To end the debate:

• Best QB: Makai Lemon
  • Reason: He completed all of his passes (1/1) and has a 427.6 passing efficiency rating, beating out Moss’ 135.1 and Maiava’s 132.5
• Worst QB: Kyron Hudson
  • Reason: He didn’t complete any of his passes (0/1). Needless to say, his passing efficiency is ZERO. ^{Please don’t take this seriously…}

Czaplicki Tracker Week 13: Czaplicki holds at #3 in punting yard average with 48.5 (behind 49.3 and 49.6). But RAY GUYYYYYY