Los Angeles, Ca. - Cody Kessler has thrown five touchdown passes as the USC Trojans take and hold a 35-7 lead over Notre Dame at the halftime break Saturday.
Kessler wasn't the only quarterback connecting with the Trojans (7-4), as Irish passer Everett Golson suffered his 14th and 15th interceptions in the first thirty minutes before being replaced by Malik Zaire.
Those picks would add two more scores for quick-striking USC as they rattled off the game's first 35 points.
Golson was intercepted by Gerald Bowman after his 3rd-and-10 pass attempt went high and bounced off the hands of Corey Robinson, the intended target.
Bowman retured the ball 24 yards to the USC 49, where Kessler (19-of-23 passing) took over.
Justin Davis carried 9 and 11 yards on two rushes before Kessler connected with Nelson Agholor for 14 yards to the Irish 17.
The Trojans chipped their way to the Irish 6, where Kessler slung the 1st-and-Goal pass for Darreus Rogers and the four-touchdown lead.
Golson took over on the next drive, though it would be his last at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
After finding Will Fuller for 23 yards on a 3rd-and-13 conversion, he was pressured from behind by Lamar Dawson on a throw, a wobbler that found the waiting arms of Hayes Pullard to the USC 48.
Kessler found Randall Tefler for 13 yards on the next play and Javorius Allen barrelled up the middle for 17 yards to the Irish 26. The quarterback rushed himself for 8 on a 2nd-and-6.
He found Nelson Agholor seconds later, who danced through traffic for the 14 yard touchdown.
Malik Zaire went under center for the Irish (7-4) on their succeeding possession.
The Kettering, Ohio, native flung his first collegiate pass attempt 49 yards to Chris Brown to the USC 11, from which Zaire would rush himself over the right side for the score, putting the Irish on the board.
Zaire returned for Notre Dame after a USC punt, completing to Corey Robinson for 19 yards and another to William Fuller for 26 more to the USC 28. The drive stalled after Zaire's pass for Fuller near the goal-line fell incomplete and would serve as holder for Kyle Brindza, whose 44 yard field goal attempt bounced off the left post to end the half.
Zaire finished the half 3-for-6 on 94 yards passing on two drives in relief of Golson, who threw for 75 yards on 7 completions against 18 attempts.
Cody Kessler threw three touchdowns in the first quarter of action, finding George Farmer twice, from 48 and 31 yards, and Adoree' Jackson from 16. USC outgained the Irish 209-34 in that quarter.
USC outgained the Irish 329-200 and outrushed them 88-31.
Notre Dame comes into the contest after losing three straight games and four of their last five, though have defeated the Trojans in their last two meetings.
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