Around the nation: Notre Dame holds off USC

Corey Robinson made a diving catch in the end zone midway through the fourth quarter and No. 14 Notre Dame rebounded to beat Southern California 41-31 on Saturday in South Bend, Indiana, after squandering a two-touchdown lead.

C.J. Prosise ran for 143 yards and two touchdowns, and DeShone Kizer threw two scoring passes, the second the 10-yarder to Robinson that made it 38-31.

Southern California played for the first time since firing coach Steve Sarkisian on Monday. Clay Helton directed the Trojans as interim coach.

The Fighting Irish (6-1) bounced back from an embarrassing 35-point loss to USC in the regular-season finale last year. The victory looked in doubt when the Trojans (3-3) scored three straight touchdowns to take a 31-24 lead. But the Irish rallied to win the Jeweled Shillelagh for the third time in four seasons.

It marked the first time in seven tries the Irish beat the Trojans after losing by 30 or more the season before.

Cody Kessler threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score for USC, but the Irish picked him off two passes in the fourth quarter to put the game away.

In a game of shifting momentum, the Irish scored 40 points against the Trojans for the first time since 1977 when Norte Dame warmed up in blue jerseys, then came out in green jerseys and beat USC 49-19 en route to the national championship.

The Trojans lost consecutive games for the first time since losing three straight to end the 2012 season. USC has three losses this early in the season for the first time since starting 1-4 in Pete Carroll’s first year as coach in 2001.

The loss also adds to the mounting troubles the Trojans are facing with a game next week against No. 4 Utah followed by a game at No. 23 California. USC athletic director Pat Haden, who spent 12 years as a color analyst on Notre Dame television broadcasts, was feeling lightheaded just before kickoff and was taken to the locker room. Haden made a stop at the hospital, then headed back to Los Angeles on a private plane.

Haden has been under scrutiny for his hiring of Sarkisian and for allowing Sarkisian to continue to coach after slurring his words and using inappropriate language during an event in August and other struggles by the football team.

Prosise started the go-ahead drive with runs of 17 and 25 yards, then Notre Dame, burned by a double-pass by USC earlier in the game, responded when Torii Hunter Jr. took a backward pass from Kizer and threw a 35-yard pass to Alize Jones at the 12-yard line. The pass by Hunter made up for a fumble into the end zone earlier in the game. Corey Robinson then made a diving catch in the end zone on a pass from Kizer for 10-yard score. It was the first touchdown catch of the season for Robinson.

Kessler tried a long pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster, but it was intercepted by KeiVarae Russell at the Notre Dame 33-yard line. The Irish responded immediately with a 45-yard pass from Kizer to Fuller at the 22. The Irish drive stalled, but Justin Yoon kicked a 32-yard field goal to give the Irish a 41-31 lead. Notre Dame safety Max Redfield intercepted a deflected pass by Kessler on the next possession.

Kessler, coming off on of the worst performances in his college career, being sacked five times and being held to 156 yards passing with no touchdowns and two interceptions, was 30-of-46 passing for 365 yards. He had passed for six touchdowns against the Irish a season ago. The Trojans amassed 590 yards total offense.

Kizer was 15-of-24 passing for 227 yards and Notre Dame compiled 476 yards offense.

It was a cold, raw night with the temperature starting at 40 and dropping to 32 late. The Trojans are 1-7-1 in cold weather games against the Irish.

Colorado State 38, Air Force 23

Nick Stevens threw three touchdown passes, including a pair to Joe Hansley, and Jasen Oden Jr. rushed for two scores as the Rams beat the Falcons in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Hansley came up big with All-American receiver Rashard Higgins limited by a hamstring injury and an illness. Hansley caught three passes for 75 yards to help Colorado State (3-4, 1-2 Mountain West) capture the Ram-Falcon Trophy, an award given to the winner since 1980.

Air Force (3-3, 2-1) missed out on an opportunity to stay atop the Mountain Division with Utah State, which upset No. 21 Boise State on Friday. Even more, the Falcons lost fullback Shayne Davern in the third quarter with an apparent right knee injury. Davern had 76 yards rushing, including a 60-yard TD run.

Stevens had the Rams clicking on offense, finishing 23 of 30 for a career-best 296 yards. Oden added 89 yards on the ground.

Army 21, Bucknell 14

A.J. Schurr came off the bench to run for two touchdowns and threw for the winning score to help the Black Knights beat the Bison in West Point, New York.

Schurr connected with Edgar Poe, who won a jump ball over Nick O’Brien and ran all the way to the end zone for a 68-yard score, to put Army up with 4:44 left. Chris Carnegie intercepted R.J. Nitti on Bucknell’s ensuing drive to clinch it.

Following a 44-3 rout by Duke last week, Army (2-5) won at home for the first time this season despite trailing at halftime 14-7. The Black Knights came back from a halftime deficit for the first time under second-year coach Jeff Monken, improving to 1-8 when down at the break.

Nitti finished 17 for 33 for 186 yards and Matt DelMauro added 105 on the ground for the Bison (3-3).

Temple 30, Central Florida 16

Jahad Thomas rushed for a career-high 199 yards and three touchdowns to lead the unbeaten Owls to a 30-16 victory over the winless Knights in Philadelphia.

Thomas had 31 carries, including touchdown runs from the 12, 22 and 21, while Ventell Bryant snagged a 3-yard pass from P.J. Walker for another TD. The Owls (6-0, 3-0 American Athletic Conference) made two-point conversions after both of Thomas’ fourth quarter TDs.

Temple became bowl eligible with the win, which gave the Owls their first 6-0 season start since 1974.

Central Florida (0-7, 0-3) was held to just 137 yards of total offense but took a 16-14 lead in the third quarter with a 41-yard field goal by Matthew Wright, who also sent 48- and 27-yard kicks through the uprights. The Knights’ only touchdown came from Shaquill Griffin, who intercepted Walker’s pass in the second quarter and returned it 81 yards.