Trojans Beat Incomplete Irish : It’s a Costly Loss That Comes to Pass

In 1913, Notre Dame quarterback Gus Dorais and end Knute Rockne used a seldom-used but legal play known as “the forward pass” to upset heavily favored Army, 35-13, putting the game of football on a fast track that would eventually lead to Dan Marino.

Saturday night, however, Notre Dame held a “throwback” weekend. We’re talking circa 1900 and inflatable pig-bladders.

Needing a victory to ensure a 10-1 season and almost-certain $12-million bowl championship series game, Notre Dame lost a 10-0 decision to USC at the Coliseum in which its quarterbacks did not complete a “forward pass” until 4:47 remained in the third quarter.

“Brutal” is too kind of word to describe the quarterback play. Forced into action because of last week’s mind-boggling last-play injury to starter Jarious Jackson, junior Eric Chappell and freshman Arnaz Battle combined to complete seven of 22 passes for 94 yards and four interceptions.

Chappell did not complete a pass in three attempts before he was pulled, although he did complete two passes to USC defenders.

“Right now, I feel like I let the guys down around me,” Chappell said afterward. “Everyone believed in me. I think I should have played better than I played.”

Although Battle fared better, completing seven of 19 passes for 94, he also threw two interceptions.

If it seemed that Battle appeared lost at times, well, he was. He and Chappell had thrown two passes, completing one, all season.

The hardest part?

“Just the speed,” Battle said. “I had only played in two games this year, a total of six minutes. It was my first real game experience. Practice was nothing like this. You don’t have [Daylon] McCutcheon coming at you and 6-foot-5 linebackers.”

Uh, that would be USC’s Chris Claiborne.

USC did what any sensible squad would do against two quarterbacks greener than a four-leaf clover. The Trojans stacked the line with nine men and dared Chappell and Battle to beat them.

“It seemed like there were more guys there than we could block,” Irish tackle Mike Rosenthal said.

It was a devastating defeat. Instead of appearing in a $12-million BCS game, most likely the Orange or the Sugar, Notre Dame is destined for a date in the Gator Bowl, which pays $1.4 million.

“I thought a 9-2 Notre Dame would always be a serious contender for the BCS,” Notre Dame Athletic Director Mike Wadsworth said. “That belief allowed us to negotiate the terms we did.”

But Wadsworth acknowledged this was a different year.

With only two BCS at-large picks available, the reality after Saturday night is that one-loss Ohio State and 9-2 Florida may be more attractive BCS at-large candidates.

It had been a magical, if not lucky, season for the Irish, who trailed Purdue by 14 points before winning on a field goal, struggled to beat Army, 20-17, and needed a goal-line stand to defeat Boston College.

In fact, the luck of the Irish did not run out in the Coliseum. It ran dry a week earlier when Jackson suffered torn knee ligaments while taking a safety in Notre Dame’s wild 39-36 win over Louisiana State.

It is a play that will be second-guessed by Notre Damers for years. Jackson was hurt on a called play in which he was supposed to kill time in the pocket and then run out of the end zone when danger neared.

But a Notre Dame player blew a blocking assignment and Jackson was sacked and injured.

It was this improbable play that put Notre Dame in an almost impossible position against USC.

Irish Coach Bob Davie said he knew what USC’s game plan was going to be.

“They did the right thing,” Davie said. “They put their corners in man-to-man, brought their safeties up, and put nine men on the line and made it tough.”

Notre Dame abandoned its I-formation backfield and ran mostly option plays with Chappell, and then Battle.

Autry Denson, the Irish’s standout tailback, was held to 46 yards in 19 carries, averaging 2.4 yards per play.

With Denson in check, it was up to the Notre Dame quarterbacks.

And neither Chappell nor Battle were up to the challenge.

Irish teammates felt badly for the kids.

“I remember playing my first game,” flanker Bobby Brown said. “Things come pretty quickly. I know exactly where they’re coming from.”

In the end, justice prevailed. The Irish will play in the bowl game they most deserve--the Gator.

Notre Dame is a better-than-average football team that dodged disaster week after week until Jackson dropped back against Louisiana State.

Afterward, Davie appeared shellshocked at the events of the week.

He wasn’t ready to do the math that shows Saturday’s night’s loss cost the Irish approximately $10.6 million.

Asked if he could assess his team’s bowl chances, Davie said, “No, I really can’t. I just hope we have the opportunity to win 10 games this year.”

Notre Dame will certainly get that chance.

The good news is that Jackson is expected back for the Gator Bowl.

Irish fans, fear not.

The forward pass, made famous by Dorais to Rockne, should once again return to the Irish arsenal.