No. 5 Notre Dame punches CFP ticket with 2 late interception return TDs to beat USC 49-35

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Christian Gray returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown with 3:39 to play, Xavier Watts returned another interception 100 yards for a score with 1:18 left, and No. 5 Notre Dame punched its ticket to the College Football Playoff with its 10th consecutive victory, 49-35 over Southern California on Saturday.

Riley Leonard threw two touchdown passes and rushed for another score for the Fighting Irish (11-1), who completed an impressive regular season by holding off the persistent Trojans (6-6) for their sixth win in the last seven editions of this famed intersectional rivalry.

Notre Dame led 35-21 early in the fourth quarter, but Ja'Kobi Lane made the second of his three touchdown catches for the Trojans with 8:43 left.

After USC stopped the Irish offense, Jayden Maiava moved the Trojans to the Notre Dame 21 for a shot at a tying score — but Gray kept his feet after an acrobatic interception of a goal-line pass intended for Kyron Hudson, and the sophomore returned it all the way down the USC sideline.

Maiava led another desperate drive before throwing an easy end-zone pick to Watts, who took the same route for the clinching touchdown.

Notre Dame retained the Jeweled Shillelagh in the schools’ 95th meeting in a series that began in 1926 at the Coliseum.

Jadarian Price rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown for the Irish, and Jeremiyah Love added 99 yards and a score. Eli Raridon and Mitchell Evans caught TD passes from Duke transfer Leonard, who continued his solid finish to the season with 155 yards passing.

Maiava rushed for two touchdowns and passed for 360 yards in his first loss as the starter for USC (6-6), which lost five of eight to end a second straight disappointing regular season under coach Lincoln Riley.

Makai Lemon had 82 of his 133 yards receiving in the fourth quarter, but the Trojans didn’t hold a lead in the final period for the first time all season. Lane caught his third TD pass with 13 seconds left.

Woody Marks, USC’s 1,100-yard rusher, got hurt on a 9-yard run to begin the Trojans’ second drive. He didn't return to the game despite being on the sideline, and the injury ended the Mississippi State transfer's FBS-best streak of 56 consecutive games with a reception.

The first half was remarkably even in front of a big Coliseum crowd on a 75-degree (23.8 Celsius) game day. Love hurdled Kamari Ramsey to set up Raridon's 12-yard TD catch 59 seconds before halftime, but the Trojans went 78 yards in 31 seconds to tie it on Lane's 12-yard TD reception.

Price made a 36-yard TD run on the opening drive of the second half, but USC answered with Maiava's second 1-yard TD plunge. Notre Dame's offense responded with yet another lightning-quick drive against USC's improved defense, and Leonard's short TD run put the Irish up for good.

John Humphrey intercepted Leonard's badly underthrown pass on Notre Dame's next drive, but after the Irish defense stopped USC on downs, Evans caught a 23-yard TD pass.

Notre Dame: The Irish could only beat the teams on their schedule, and that's what they've done every week since getting embarrassed by Northern Illinois. But it's also tough to tell how they'll respond to a big step up in competition level in the CFP after struggling a bit to hold off a .500 USC team.

USC: The Trojans' lack of playmakers became glaring with Marks sidelined. Receivers repeatedly missed chances to help Maiava, while Riley didn't stick with the running game in Marks' absence. The USC defense also struggled after its largely solid season.

Caleb Williams, the only USC quarterback to beat Notre Dame since 2016, watched from the Trojans’ sideline. The Chicago Bears rookie’s No. 13 was formally retired during an in-game ceremony.

Notre Dame: Likely hosting a first-round CFP game, since the Irish can't get a top-four bye.

USC: A low-stakes bowl game for the second straight year, which isn’t what fans had in mind with the high-priced Riley.

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, top, hurdles Southern California safety Kamari Ramsey during the first half of an NCAA football game, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Drew Allar threw for a touchdown and ran for another score as No. 4 Penn State beat Maryland 44-7 Saturday and advanced to its first Big Ten championship game since 2016.

Nick Singleton ran for two touchdowns, Beau Pribula rushed for a TD and tossed a scoring pass to Tyseer Denmark, and star tight end Tyler Warren caught at TD pass for the Nittany Lions (11-1, 8-1 Big Ten, No. 4 CFP), who will face No. 1 Oregon for the Big Ten title in Indianapolis on Saturday with a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff at stake.

Penn State's path to the conference title game was cleared when Michigan beat No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 in Columbus, Ohio.

“We knew, but I didn’t say anything to the team," Penn State coach James Franklin said of the Michigan victory. “Actually, I did the opposite, I said Maryland, Maryland, Maryland, Maryland.”

Nittany Lion fans in Beaver Stadium on a frigid, windy afternoon went quiet early, after a disastrous opening sequence against the struggling Terps (4-8, 1-8).

Maryland turned a Singleton fumble into a 7-0 lead two plays into the game before Penn State shook off its miscues and went on to rout its regional rival.

The Nittany Lions scored touchdowns on four of their five possessions in the second quarter and the Penn State defense forced four punts, a turnover on downs and had two interceptions before halftime to help secure the team's fourth straight win in the series.

Singleton, Allar and Pribula scored on short runs capping quick possessions after Maryland turnovers.

Warren, one of college football’s most dynamic players, set a Big Ten record for receptions by a tight end in the first quarter. He also became Penn State’s all-time leader in touchdown catches by a tight end with his 17th on a 7-yard pass from Allar that gave Penn State a 31-7 lead at halftime.

“We needed to win and play well,” Franklin said. “A lot of eyes looking at these games, looking at the statistics. All those things are important. We’re fighting to keep this family together as long as we possibly can. Wins do that.”

Maryland crossed midfield just once in each half and stalled out each time. Penn State played backups for much of the second half.

Allar finished 17 of 26 for 171 yards, while Singleton ended with 104 offensive yards on 16 touches.

Maryland's MJ Morris was 14 for 24 passing for 112 yards with three interceptions. Running back Roman Hemby gained 64 yards on 13 carriers for the Terps.

“Disappointing end to a long, long season," Maryland coach Mike Locksley said. “Disappointed. Disappointed in the way this thing finished. Disappointed in our inability to get things going.”

Penn State could move up to No. 2 after Ohio State’s loss.

Maryland: The Terps had their best start to any game this season. They forced and recovered a fumble on the game’s first play to set up a nice 25-yard touchdown pass from Morris to Kaden Prather. They failed to do much else the rest of the way, ending the season with a five-game skid. That losing streak is the longest since a seven-game winless stretch to end 2019.

Penn State: The Nittany Lions haven’t started games well all season, but they sure do finish well. In addition to the forced turnovers and punts, Penn State’s defense recorded six sacks and four quarterback hurries. Coach James Franklin improved to 9-2 against Maryland since the Terps joined the Big Ten in 2014.

Maryland: Season over.

Penn State: Faces No. 1 Oregon in the Big Ten championship game on Saturday.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Penn State tight end Tyler Warren (44) hurdles Maryland defensive back Kevis Thomas (25) during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)