• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

USC, Notre Dame look to stay in BCS title chase

Nov 22, 2006 - 12:17 AM No. 6 Notre Dame (10-1) at No. 3 USC (9-1), 8:00 pm EST

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - Notre Dame and Southern California would be hard-pressed to top last year's meeting in South Bend.

The sixth-ranked Fighting Irish and the third-ranked Trojans battle to remain in the running for the Bowl Championship Series title game Saturday when they face off at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

Last year, USC remained undefeated with a 34-31 triumph at Notre Dame. Reggie Bush, who went on to win the Heisman Trophy, gave quarterback Matt Leinart a helpful push on a one-yard touchdown run with three seconds left for the go-ahead score.

USC went on to reach the BCS title game but lost a thriller to Texas in the Rose Bowl. The Trojans (9-1) appeared out of the running this year with a 33-31 setback at Oregon State on October 28, but numerous teams above them in the rankings have lost while they have kept winning.

Last Saturday, the Trojans won their third straight game, a 23-9 triumph over then-No. 17 California that clinched no worse than a Rose Bowl berth. John David Booty threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns for USC, which scored 17 unanswered points to win at least a share of its record fifth straight Pac-10 Conference title.

It was USC's 32nd straight home win, extending its league record. The Trojans are third in the BCS standings and with wins over Notre Dame and at UCLA likely will pass second-place Michigan to set up a meeting with No. 1 Ohio State in the title game.

Notre Dame (10-1) routed Army last Saturday, 41-9, for its eighth consecutive triumph after a 47-21 home loss to Michigan.

Brady Quinn threw three touchdown passes and Darius Walker ran for 162 yards and two scores for the Irish, who outgained the Black Knights, 439-150, as they retained their remote chances of a BCS title game berth.

The Trojans have won the last four meetings after dropping the previous three.