USC 31, Notre Dame 17 (final)

If, as he has said, last year's loss to Notre Dame at the Coliseum was Lane Kiffin's worst loss as a head coach, Saturday's win at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind., surely was among the sweetest.

USC ran its record to 6-1 and ended Notre Dame's four-game winning streak with an impressive victory.

"I'm proud of ouor guys, not having penalties and taking care of the football. That's what you've got to do," Kiffin said in a television interview after the game.

"You better play defense and run the ball if you come on the road."

The Trojans defense came up with three second-half turnovers, Matt Barkley operated efficiently at quarterback and two banged-up running backs produced when they had to for USC.

Oh, and Robert Woods was Robert Woods again.

Coming off a season-low five catches against California in USC's last game, the sophomore had 12 catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns against the Fighting Irish.

He was Barkley's favorite by far, but the quarterback was otherwise hard to figure -- he connected with nine different receivers and finished with 224 yards passing, having completed 24 of 35 for three touchdowns.

Curtis McNeal and Marc Tyler sparked a 219-yard rushing performance. McNeal had 118 yards in 24 carries and Tyler had 67 yards in 13 carries.

Kiffin credited USC's oft-maligned offensive line. "That's a great run defense led by a great middle linebacker (Manti Te'o)," the coach said. "Our guys did a really good job."

Meanwhile, Notre Dame couldn't sustain anything on the ground. The Fighting Irish netted 41 yards in 14 carries -- more than half of that coming on a 25-yard touchdown burst by Jonas Gray.

Michael Floyd, Notre Dame's star receiver, was never a factor. The 6-foot-3, 224-pound junior had four catches for 28 yards thanks largely to blanket coverage by USC's Nickell Robey, a 5-8, 165-pound sophomore. 

USC 31, Notre Dame 17 (late in fourth quarter)

Nickell Robey is having the game of his life for USC.

Only 5 feet 8 inches tall and 165 pounds, he has dominated his matchup with Michael Floyd, Notre Dame's 6-3, 224-pound star receiver.

Floyd has only four catches for 28 yards and Robey just picked off a pass that was intended for Floyd, giving USC the ball at midfield with 6 minutes 43 seconds remaining in the game.

USC 31, Notre Dame 17 (7:47 left in the fourth quarter)

USC has cashed in on a Notre Dame turnover, with Robert Woods -- who else? -- making a diving catch of a 14-yard pass from quarterback Matt Barkley for a touchdown.

Andre Heidari looked good on the point-after try, drilling it high and straight through.

Woods has 12 catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns.

USC 24, Notre Dame 17 (midway through the fourth quarter)

USC had better hope this game is not decided by a kick.

Andre Heidari, who has been a solid producer all season, was injured in the first half and badly missed a 32-yard field-goal attempt wide left.

USC has not said what the injury was, but if that kick is any indication, he is not 100% healthy.

Nowitzki delivers the heat for Rangers

Dallas Mavericks center Dirk Nowitzki threw out the first pitch before the Game 3 of the World Series on Saturday, delivering a low strike –- which was better than his performance in July after the Mavs won the NBA title.

“This time they told me to throw a four‑seam fastball,” said Nowitzki, who wore a blue Rangers jersey and cap. “I still don't understand what that means.  But I think that's the grip I had. Or was it a two‑seam fastball? I forgot.”

As for the NBA lockout, Nowitzki said he’s disappointed there hasn’t been more progress in talks between the league and the players.

“We were all hoping with the mediator that something was going to happen, and just talks broke off, so it's very unfortunate,” he said. “Hopefully we can get something going here anytime soon. But it doesn't look good.

"I've just been keeping in shape, working out, doing lots of cardio and lifting a little bit and running. If the season will start any time soon, I think I'll be ready.”

Nowitzki grew up in Germany, where baseball is a minor sport. Still, he was asked if he would consider an offer to try out for the Rangers if the NBA lockout continued.

"I  would love that," he said before turning serious.

"If there's no settlement I'll probably go back home soon, start training with my coach again," he said.  "It's time to really get back in the routine. Got to keep the options open, maybe see what's going on overseas."

-- Kevin Baxter, reporting from Arlington, Texas

 

 

White, Davis win second Skate America ice dance title

Reigning world ice dancing champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the United States earned a standing ovation and also accumulated five perfect marks of 10 while winning their second consecutive Skate America ice dancing gold medal at the Citizens Business Bank Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Davis and White, skating elegantly to music from the Johan Strauss piece "Die Fledermaus," evoked the atmosphere of a Viennese ballroom in the 19th century as they floated across the ice and scored a commanding win with 178.07 points.

Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat of France, who performed an Egyptian-themed free dance to music called "The Pharaoh and His Mummy," were far behind with 156.29 points. Bourzat, who could barely catch his breath in between coughing spells, said he was going straight to a doctor after receiving his medal.

Isabella Tobias and Deividas Stagniunas of Lithuania, who received an invitation to the event only two weeks ago after a Russian couple withdrew because of illness, moved up from fifth place after the short dance to take the bronze medal. Tobias is originally from New York and is a trained ballet dancer.

-- Diane Pucin

Photo: Meryl Davis and Charlie White perform their free dance Saturday at the Skate America event in Ontario. Credit: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

USC vs. Notre Dame: Live updates from the football game

USC 7, Notre Dame 0 (6:16 left in first quarter)

Now that was an opening drive.

USC took the opening kickoff and drove 66 yards in 13 plays, with quarterback Matt Barkley tossing a two-yard touchdown pass to tight end Randall Telfer to give the Trojans the early lead.

Senior tailback Marc Tyler, who dislocated his left shoulder last week against California, gained 15 yards on the first carry and looked sharp on five others during a drive that consumed 7 minutes 39 seconds.

Barkley scrambled for a first down on a fourth-and-one pass play and also scrambled for four yards on a first down.

--Gary Klein

Photo: Last time linebacker Chris Galippo and USC visited South Bend, Ind., they came away with a 34-27 victory over Notre Dame in 2009. Credit: Joe Robbins / Getty Images

 

Angels may be interested in Omar Minaya for general manager

Add Omar Minaya’s name to the growing list of candidates who will interview for the Angels’ vacant general manager post.

Minaya, the former GM of the Montreal Expos, held the same post with the New York Mets from 2005 to 2010. The Dominican-born Minaya was baseball’s first Latino general manager, and Angels owner Arte Moreno was baseball’s first Latino owner.

An Angels spokesman would neither confirm nor deny the team’s interest in Minaya.

Since former General Manager Tony Reagins resigned at the end of last month, the Angels have reportedly talked with Rick Hahn, the Chicago White Sox's vice president and assistant GM; Kim Ng, former Dodgers assistant GM; Jerry DiPoto, a senior vice president with the Arizona Diamondbacks; and Yankees executives Billy Eppler and Damon Oppenheimer.

-- Kevin Baxter in St. Louis

Photo: Omar Minaya talks about the firing of Willie Randolph as Mets manager during an interleague stop at Anaheim Stadium in 2008. Credit: Jeff Gross / Getty Images