There are details to nitpick, an offense that was more opportunistic than overwhelming, and the unknown of what Saturday night’s 48-20 clobbering of No. 10 USC will actually lead to as far as a postseason game trajectory.

But in terms of building program culture and defining Marcus Freeman as a head coach, the most lopsided takedown of a top 10 team in 28 seasons by the nation’s 21st-ranked team at Notre Dame Stadium arrested a narrative that seemed to paint the ND program evolving into Nebraska.

It all started with defense.

Defensive coordinator Al Golden crafted perhaps the best game plan reigning Heisman Trophy winner has to face in his two seasons at USC since transferring from Oklahoma after his freshman year and perhaps inclusive of that. Linebacker JD Bertrand and safety Xavier Watts were among the many standouts who executed it to near perfection.

Notre Dame (6-2) held the nation’s leading scoring team (51.8) to more than 30 points below its season average after USC came out of the gate as the first Trojan squad to score 42 points or more in each of its first six games.

The Irish coaxed five turnovers and sacked Williams six times. His 100.0 pass-efficiency rating was barely above his career low and less than half of his nation’s-neest 206.4 coming into the game.

Among the non-defensive highlights was Chris Tyree’s 46-yard TD reception from Sam Hartman, Audric Estimé’s two rushing TDs and Jadarian Price’s 99-yard kickoff return.

Saturday’s Irish victory, the sixth in a row at home in the series for the Irish, did more to alter USC’s big picture than Notre Dame’s. The Irish did become bowl-eligible and put themselves on a path that could lead to a New Year’s Six Bowl. More importantly, the defense showed signs of perhaps evolving into a dominant unit heading into the final four regular-season games of the season.

Pass rush? Check. Resilience? Check. The long-ago decision to move Xavier Watts from wide receiver to safety. Big check. Can the defense carry the team on its back over the final four games? Maybe. The 302 yards USC amassed Saturday night were the fewest produced in a game since Lincoln Riley became the Trojans’ head coach ahead of the 2022 season.

The offense was kind of an afterthought, given the defensive pyrotechnics. The Irish collected a season-low 251 yards against the nation’s No. 109 team in total defense, a week after producing what was then a season-low 298 in the 33-20 loss at Louisville. Sam Hartman’s pluck and prowess as a QB shined even in limited use, but there are questions about how to make this offense more dynamic when ND faces more complete defenses in the coming weeks.

Notre Dame’s bye week coincides with fall break, meaning no game and no classes next week for the Irish. The next game is Oct,. 28 at home against a Pittsburgh team that rocked Louisville on Saturday, 38-21.

NOTRE DAME 48, USC 20: Box Score

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