Social Media Reactions Pour in After Notre Dame Clinches Playoff Spot with USC Win

Notre Dame fans erupted with excitement as the Irish defense held off a late-charging USC team to secure a College Football Playoff spot

Nick Shepkowski | Nov 30, 2024

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates with players at the end of the game against the Southern California Trojans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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No. 5 Notre Dame (11-1) is certain to move up in the College Football Playoff rankings after a thrilling 49-35 victory over USC (6-6) on Saturday.

What that means is that Notre Dame, the same Fighting Irish squad that lost to Northern Illinois on Sept. 7, is headed to the College Football Playoff where it is almost guaranteed to host a first round home game.

That game, that will be played on December 20 or 21, will be like nothing we've ever seen at Notre Dame Stadium.

In watching Notre Dame's defense shock USC's offense with two late pick-sixes to seal the deal, Notre Dame and college football fans alike took to social media to celebrate the massive win. See some of the best below.

Jeweled Shillelagh is Staying Home

The Jeweled Shillelagh is staying home ☘️#GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/g9EVAWbBi8
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 1, 2024

Super Bowl Winning Golden Domer is Plenty Impressed

Notre Dame is so dang physical.
— Drue Tranquill (@DTranquill) November 30, 2024

Joe Theismann is Impressed and Excited

Congratulations to the Fighting Irish. Time to get ready for the playoffs.
— Joe Theismann (@Theismann7) December 1, 2024

Fromer Receiver Wants Marcus Freeman Extended at Notre Dame

Dear @NotreDame,
Please do EVERYTHING in your power to make sure @Marcus_Freeman1 remains the @NDFootball HEAD COACH for many years!!!

Sincerely,

(Majority) of Former players, Alumni and FANS!!
— Robby Toma (@rtoma9) December 1, 2024

An Open Invitation to Brian Kelly

To: @CoachBrianKelly
From: ND Nation
🎟️ 🎟️ 🎟️ 🎟️ 🎟️
Event: CFB Playoff
Date and Time: TBD
Location: Notre Dame Stadium

Bring the fam-uh-lee and don’t worry about writing a thank you note. It’s our treat.
☘️ 🏈 🌳 pic.twitter.com/wpR7JlBekI
— Holtz's Heroes Foundation (@HoltzHeroes) December 1, 2024

Notre Dame's Most Recent Heisman Trophy Winner is Impressed

@NDFootball If we are all honest, we will say that after the NIU game, we were looking to have a "good" season! To see this team roll of 10 straight wins is a tribute to the boys and the coaches! Congrats to both, now let's go get it!!
— Tim Brown (@81TimBrown) December 1, 2024

Northern Illinois Loss Suddenly Forgotten

If you're still judging Notre Dame in any way off the NIU loss from almost 3 months ago .. time to wake up. This team is really good. And may now get the No. 5 seed.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) December 1, 2024

Notre Dame Walks Off Field Victorious

Final: #NotreDame 49, USC 35. Irish will play in the first 12-team College Football Playoff. @insideNDsports @Rivals pic.twitter.com/bvXavW7T7l
— Tyler James (@TJamesND) December 1, 2024

Weather Prediction Might Be a Little Too High

Notre Dame will host a game and it’ll be 25 degrees and snowing

Love it
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) December 1, 2024

It's currently 22-degrees in South Bend, Indiana as I post this at 10:45 p.m. ET on Saturday night.

Bring Your Coat to South Bend!

Dress warm. It’s going to be cold in South Bend the weekend of the 20-21st #NotreDame ☘️👀 pic.twitter.com/C71XN9nxch
— Always Irish ☘️ (@AlwaysIrishINC) December 1, 2024

Notre Dame Revenge Tour 2024

Notre Dame’s revenge arc is a movie
— J.D. PicKell (@jdpickell) December 1, 2024

Two Programs Headed in Different Directions?

Marcus Freeman is 10-5 vs top-40 opponents (F+) at Notre Dame. Lincoln Riley is 7-12 vs top-40 opponents at USC

Since USC beat ND in LA in 2022, Freeman is 22-4. Riley is 14-13
— Jamie Uyeyama (@jamieuyeyama) December 1, 2024

Mason Plummer Used to Pray for Days Like These

I never in my life imagined Notre Dame would have DBs as good as Xavier Watts and Christmas Gray.

LFG ☘️☘️
— Mason (@MasonPlummer_) December 1, 2024

Notre Dame Will Be Better for Having to Fight vs. USC

Notre Dame being tested was good today. We needed it and it was damn good seeing some fight! Team stepped up.
— Dougie Sant (@dougiesant) December 1, 2024

Worth the Wait

I have literally been waiting all season to post this pic.twitter.com/3BBVIn7jYw
— Jessica Smetana (@jessica_smetana) December 1, 2024

Postgame from the Los Angeles Coliseum

Love Thee Notre Dame #GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/qffXwL6XAa
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 1, 2024

Notre Dame Star Defender Celebrates the Big Win at USC

Jordan Clark is enjoying himself as a valued member of the College Football Playoff-bound Notre Dame Fighting Irish. pic.twitter.com/btHX2ZO0rc
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) December 1, 2024

A Closer Look at the Insanity of the Final Few Minutes

Notre Dame just recorded two of its longest pick sixes in program history

They took place within two minutes of each other pic.twitter.com/yN5hXbcSNj
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) December 1, 2024

Quarterback Comparison in a Different Way

Riley Leonard passing yards to Notre Dame players: 155 (QB for Notre Dame)

Jayden Maiava passing yards to Notre Dame players: 199 (QB for USC) pic.twitter.com/RticGBOY6b
— Luciano Antonini (@LucciAntonini) December 1, 2024

Irish Fans, Put on Your Dancing Shoes

Your Notre Dame Fighting Irish are going dancing, folks. pic.twitter.com/5UbDGJqLrx
— nolan (@nolangoND34) December 1, 2024

In Their Defense, It Was an Awful Pick

I picked USC and Notre Dame people are being straight up not nice about it
— Josh Pate (@JoshPateCFB) December 1, 2024

Sept. 7 Has Gotten the Men in Black Treatment

Notre Dame in the CFP.

Like the Northern Illinois game never happened
— Pete Fiutak (@PeteFiutak) December 1, 2024

Notre Dame Locks Up the 5-Seed in all Likelihood

Excited to see the Notre Dame playoff draw. All but locked up the best path with the 5 seed

Defense is legit, secondary is incredible even without Morrison

Scary team. Genuinely. https://t.co/MmtnIWV08l
— Liam Blutman (@Blutman27) December 1, 2024

Current Chicago Bears Check Out Notre Dame vs. USC Rivalry Game

Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet got the smack talking leg up on former USC Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams!

Notre Dame - 49
USC - 35

Some fun in the sun for Caleb and Cole. 😎

Caleb gets his jersey retired. The Irish move onto the college football playoff. 🍀 pic.twitter.com/e7pUpI2awA
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) December 1, 2024

Cue Up Randy Newman

We 🫶 LA #GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/k9WChrB5rM
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 1, 2024

Final from Los Angeles

IRISH WIN#GoIrish☘️ | @DIRECTV pic.twitter.com/fjYlzE7H7d
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 1, 2024