A funny thing happened to USC on their way to tie the score with under four minutes remaining. With Notre Dame leading by 35-28 and the Trojans driving, cornerback Christian Gray made the play of the season. Gray had struggled most of the afternoon until he picked off a pass, kept his footing, and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown. Quarterback Jayden Maiava led USC back on the ensuing series, but safety Xavier Watts did Gray one better. He intercepted another errant pass in the end zone and ran it 100+ yards for a 49-28 lead. The Trojans added a concession score with 13 seconds left for the final 49-35 margin.