Avenge ‘56 Troy Loss
Today we rewind to November 30, 1957, when the Fighting Irish closed out their season with a dominant 40-12 victory over longtime rival USC. Played before a bundled-up crowd in snowy Notre Dame Stadium, this game was more than just a win—it was a statement. In what was dubbed head coach Terry Brennan’s “comeback year,” the Irish executed a complete performance on both sides of the ball, thrilling fans and avenging their 1956 loss to the Trojans.
From Pat Doyle’s electric 92-yard kickoff return to Monty Stickles’ two-touchdown day, this game showcased the grit and depth of a Notre Dame team on the rise. The Irish offense racked up 412 yards while the defense held USC to just five completions on 29 pass attempts. It was a cold afternoon, but the Irish were on fire.
Recap below is from the December 13, 1957 issue of The Notre Dame Scholastic Football Review, written by Jack Grady.
Avenge ‘56 Troy Loss
by Jack Grady
Notre Dame, Ind., Nov. 30—Terry Brennan displayed his charges to the last home town audience of his “comeback year” today and led them on to a 40-12 victory over a surprisingly inept Southern California team. The announced crowd of 54,793, who sat in snow-covered stands and 22 degree cold, watched the Irish run up their highest point total in over two years after jumping off to an early two touchdown lead in the first period.
Of the 41 players Brennan used in the course of the afternoon, sophomore halfback Pat Doyle, making his first sustained appearance in the ND Stadium, provided the biggest thrill of the afternoon when he took the kickoff after the Trojans had pulled up to a 13-6 deficit and returned it 92 yards for the score. Doyle however had to share the long range honors with classmates Monty Stickles and Jim Crotty, as well as signal caller Bob Williams and Co-Captain Dick Prendergast.
Besides being successful in three of his five extra point attempts, Stickles grabbed two of Williams’ aerials for six pointers, one covering sixteen yards and the other seven. Crotty, also making his first home appearance, reeled off 57 yards in nine carries, most of them coming during a sustained third period drive which insured the Irish of victory. Ron Toth, substituting commendably for injured fullback Nick Pietrosante, walked off with the day’s rushing honors, grinding out 78 yards in 18 carries.
While the ND offense was racking up 412 yards, the defense was holding the Trojans to 59 yards in the air and 127 on the ground. Southern Cal attempted 29 passes but completed only five — seventeen of them being thrown by signal caller Tom Maudlin in the first half alone with but one being successful. The ND defense had the Trojan receivers well covered and, when one did manage to slip through the safety and come within reach of the pass, he usually had trouble holding on to the ball.
After winning the toss and picking up a first down on their own 35, Southern Cal was forced to kick to the Irish 44. Following a series of plays by ND which moved the ball to the Southern Cal 35, Toth fumbled, but Williams retaliated by intercepting Maudlin’s pass and returning it to the Trojan’s 29. The Irish covered the remaining distance to the Southern Cal goal in eight plays which included an eight yard run by Frank Reynolds and a nine-yard keep by Williams, capped by Toth’s plunge for the score from the three. Stickles missed the point try and with 7:22 remaining in the first period the Irish were out in front 6-0.
Three minutes later, after Chuck Puntillo stole the ball from Clark Holden on the Southern Cal 27, Stickles snared a 17-yard Williams’ aerial in the end zone and added the PAT himself, providing the Irish with the necessary margin for victory.
The Trojans once again tried to get their offense rolling via the air but this time it was Doyle who intercepted a Trojan pass on the Irish five just as the quarter ended. Following an exchange of punts, Doyle fumbled on his own 16 and Monte Clarke recovered for the Trojans. Irish defense held at the eight however and the ball went over to ND on downs, only to have Williams fumble on the 22. This time the boys from the coast were not to be denied and they capitalized on the break five plays later when Rex Johnston romped into the end zone for the score. The clock read 5:36 as Johnston’s point attempt went wide of the uprights.
Doyle thus had the stage set for him as he took Ed Isherwood’s kickoff on the eight, headed up the center of the field to the 20, broke to his left, and sped all the way to the Trojan goal untouched. A fumbled pass from center messed up the extra point attempt and the score at halftime read 19-6.
Following the intermission the Irish put on their first long drive of the afternoon with Crotty leading the way to a score which climaxed 13 plays covering 66 yards. Stickles followed with his second extra point of the day.
Southern Cal scored their final marker on a 67-yard march in nine plays and a penalty. Passes from Maudlin to Bob Voiles and Holden accounted for thirty of the yards but the rest of the distance was ground out by the Southern Cal backfield, with Maudlin himself taking it over from the one for the tally.
The Irish were quick to retaliate however — with Jim Just, Crotty, and Toth sparking a 70-yard drive which ended in pay dirt when Stickles caught the ball and crossed the goal on the same play used for his earlier score. He added his fifteenth point of the day when he converted to give the Irish a 33-12 lead with ten minutes left to play in the game.
Notre Dame’s final score came as the Irish put together nine plays to cover 81 yards. Izo directed the march, working with Norm Odyniec, Bill Hickman and Bob Ward behind him and Jim Colosimo and Prendergast at the ends. With 3:23 remaining Prendergast hauled down an eight-yard aerial for the final tally and Lewis added the point.
Commenting on the game Brennan stated, “In previous games we have done some things well, but this is the first time everything blended into a polished attack.” The victory was the 18th for the Irish over Southern Cal and squared Brennan’s record against the Trojans at two and two.
This 1957 victory marked Notre Dame’s 18th all-time win over USC and perfectly captured the pride, tradition, and resilience of Irish football. For Brennan and his players, it was a complete team effort—one that brought warmth to a freezing South Bend afternoon and joy to Irish fans everywhere. A classic rivalry, a thrilling performance, and another proud moment in Notre Dame lore.
Cheers & GO IRISH!