USC and Notre Dame have long been rivals, drawing thousands of extra fans to the crowd. While every time USC plays Notre Dame is of note, the rivalry game that took place on November 30, 1974 was unlike any other. Sports Illustrated called the game the “17 minutes that shook LA.”
As the game started, it didn’t appear to be an immediate Trojan win. Notre Dame’s score went as high as 24-0, with the Trojans yet to score any points. Notre Dame’s line calls were perfectly aligned, while USC was throwing short passes. Notre Dame had a strong first half, led by Clements and Bullock. Trojan fans were losing hope while Notre Dame fans cheered and screamed through the Coliseum.
As soon as the clock started for the second half of the game, the tables turned when Anthony Davis took the second-half opening kick back 102 yards. Five Notre Dame turnovers came next, and soon the USC Trojans had scored 55 points in a matter of 17 minutes. Notre Dame did not score once the entire second half. To this day, the third quarter of “The Comeback” game is the most points ever scored on Notre Dame in a single quarter — a day that went down in history for the fans and players of USC football.