the Trojans. Notable games: 1996 – USC 27, Notre Dame 20 After 11 straight years of losses and 13 straight years without beating Notre Dame, the Trojans finally defeated the Irish. USC was struggling at 5–6 after a wild double-overtime loss to UCLA the previous week. while Notre Dame was standing tall with an 8–2 record. and a New Year's Day bowl bid in the works. The Trojans managed to stay in the game despite playing without starting quarterback Brad Otton for large portions of the game due to injury. When Notre Dame scored a touchdown to go ahead 20–12 (with the PAT pending) in the fourth quarter, things looked bleak for USC. But Irish kicker Jim Sanson missed the extra point and the margin stayed at eight. The Trojans responded with an eight-play, 67-yard drive culminating in Delon Washington's 15-yard touchdown run with 1:50 remaining. Washington also ran in the two-point conversion and the score was tied at 20. Neither team could score before the end of regulation and overtime ensued. On USC's first drive, Otton passed to Rodney Sermons for a five-yard touchdown pass and the Trojans went ahead for the first time, 27–20. Jubilation erupted in the Coliseum when Mark Cusano batted down Ron Powlus' fourth-down pass for a Trojan victory. It was Lou Holtz's last game as coach of the Irish and his first loss to the Trojans. It was also the first overtime game in the series. Holtz compiled a 9–1–1 record against USC. 1998 – USC 10, Notre Dame 0 USC came into this matchup at 7–4 under first-year coach Paul Hackett while Notre Dame was 9–1 and hoping to secure a major bowl bid with a victory. Their chances were dealt a severe blow the previous week when quarterback Jarious Jackson suffered a knee injury on the last play of the game against LSU, sidelining him for the USC game. Without Jackson, the Irish offense was powerless, suffering their first shutout in this series since 1962. They had to settle for the Gator Bowl, losing to Georgia Tech. This was the first game in the rivalry not attended by USC "superfan" Giles Pellerin, who had died the previous week during the USC–UCLA game. He had attended every USC game, home and away, since 1925. 1999 – Notre Dame 25, USC 24 In an otherwise dismal season by the Irish, Notre Dame overcame a