Southern Cal Trojans ©	Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Played October 20, 1979 at Notre Dame Stadium South Bend, Indiana

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Southern Cal ©	4	25	3	2	.867	11	1	2	.857	11	2	0	.846	3	0	0	1.000
Notre Dame	1	8	3	0	.727	2	1	0	.667	5	2	0	.714	1	0	0	1.000

 

 

This annual match-up of intersectional powers featured the 4^th ranked, 5-0-1 Southern Cal Trojans with coach John Robinson against the 9^th ranked, 4-1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish of Dan Devine.  Southern Cal's Heisman Trophy winning, All-American RB Charles White rushed for 4 touchdowns in the 2^nd half & All-Pac 10 QB Paul McDonald threw 2 touchdown passes as the Trojans continued their Belt reign with a 42-23 victory & claimed the Jeweled Shillelagh.  The teams combined for 1126 yards of total offense.  Neither team scored in the 1^st quarter but Southern Cal took a 7-0 lead when McDonald hit WR Dan Garcia on a 12-yard touchdown pass.  Notre Dame tied the score at 7-7 when All-American RB Vagas Ferguson scored on a 1-yard touchdown run.  It looked like the Fighting Irish might take a halftime lead when Ferguson broke loose for a 59-yard run to the Southern Cal 9-yard line but the Trojans’ defense stopped Ferguson on a 4^th & goal from the 1-yard line when a halfback option-pass fell incomplete.  White scored twice in the 3^rd quarter on runs of 3 & 1 yard as Southern Cal pushed the lead to 21-7 before Ferguson got Notre Dame back within a touchdown scoring on a 21-yard run.  The 4^th quarter saw McDonald hit WR Kevin Williams on a 12-yard touchdown pass giving Southern Cal a 28-14 advantage.  The Fighting Irish again closed to within 8 points when RB Jim Stone scored on a 2-yard touchdown run but the missed extra-point attempt left Notre Dame trailing 28-20.  The Trojans got 2 more touchdowns from White in the 4^th quarter each coming on a 1-yard run for a 42-20 lead.  Notre Dame's PK Chuck Male finished the scoring with a 42-yard field goal late in the game.  McDonald finished with 311 yards passing with 2 touchdowns, White added 261 yards rushing to his 4 scores, & Garcia had 8 catches for 149 yards with his touchdown.  Notre Dame QB Rusty Lisch threw for 286 yards but 2 interceptions, Ferguson rushed for 185 yards with his 2 scores, & WR Tony Hunter had 5 catches for 131 yards.  Southern Cal finished the season 11-0-1; Pac-10 Champions & ranked 2^nd nationally while the Fighting Irish finished 7-4.  Notre Dame would play for The Belt again in 1986.