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Jack Coan etched his name Saturday night into the history of one of college football’s biggest rivalries.
The Notre Dame quarterback looked as sharp as he’s looked all season, completing 20 of 28 passes for 189 yards, including a 4-yard scoring strike to Avery Davis that put the Fighting Irish up 7-0 early, en route to a 31-16 victory over USC.
Notre Dame scored on four of its first six possessions, employing an up tempo offensive scheme.
Coan, a Sayville High School grad who transferred to Notre Dame from Wisconsin, said he and his teammates trusted in the coach’s game plan.
“We did an outstanding job in preparing all week, working really hard in practice and just following the plan,” Coan said during a post-game interview on NBC. “USC is a great team — and to beat a team like that, it’s awesome. And to be a part of this history is pretty cool.”
Coan and Notre Dame started out fast on the game’s opening drive, marching 74 yards on 13 plays. But the Irish came up empty when kicker Jonathan Doerer missed a 36-yard field goal attempt.
Check out Coan’s touchdown first quarter touchdown toss.
Coan completed 4 of 5 passes for 56 yards during the Irish’s second quarter touchdown drive that left Notre Dame up 17-3. And he helped lead Notre Dame’s 80-yard touchdown drive – including a crucial quarterback sneak, fourth down conversion – that left the Irish up 24-3 heading into the fourth quarter.
USC closed the gap to 24-16 in the fourth quarter, but the Irish responded with a 75-yard touchdown drive to help close out the win.
The Trojans’ offense threatened early in the second quarter, but Notre Dame linebacker Bo Bauer intercepted a deflected pass at the line of scrimmage deep in Irish territory and returned it 79 yards to USC’s 4-yard line. It set up a 21-yard field goal by Doerer.
Big interception by Notre Dame’s Bo Bauer
Above image: Twitter/@NDfootball
