SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Jimmy Clausen and Notre Dame pushed Southern California to the very last second, showing the Fighting Irish could go toe-to-toe with their fiercest rival.

Beating the Trojans, well, Charlie Weis' team still hasn't figured out how do to that.

Clausen threw three incomplete passes into the end zone in the closing seconds, and No. 6 USC held on yesterday for a 34-27 victory, its eighth straight win against Notre Dame.

"When it came right down to it we found ways to make plays," USC coach Pete Carroll said.

Notre Dame's streak of last-minute victories ended at three, but the Irish (4-2) at least showed they could compete with USC.

"I think anyone that doesn't realize the fight that's in the Fighting Irish is missing the boat. It's evident if you watch the last five games. Every week it's the same thing," Weis said. "This team's a bunch of fighters. I'm proud of the fight. I'm disappointed with the loss, it's never OK to lose. But they're a bunch of fighters."

USC had dominated Notre Dame the past three seasons and led 34-14 in the fourth quarter yesterday. The Fighting Irish seemed on their way to the type of lopsided loss that would have their supporters grumbling about Weis again.

Instead, Clausen and the Irish rallied back, but couldn't score into the same end zone where the Trojans (5-1) famously scored four years ago on the Bush Push, which gave Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart and USC a 34-31 victory in Weis' first season.

On Clausen's first pass into the end zone, Kyle Rudolph made a juggling catch but was out of bounds. The second was knocked down by Josh Pinkard and the Trojans started celebrating thinking the game was over.

Clausen and USC quarterback Matt Barkley, pals from southern California, even exchanged what they thought was a post-game handshake.

But the officials ruled there was 1 second left. Clausen fired to Duval Kamara, who slipped and couldn't get a hand on it.

"Coming up short, one second to go, it's heartbreaking," Clausen said.

Barkley was 19 for 29 for 380 yards and two touchdowns to Damian Williams, who had four catches for 108 yards. Anthony McCoy had five catches for 153 yards.

The Trojans appeared to be on the verge of blowing the game open when Joe McKnight dived in for a TD early in the fourth quarter.

"Down three scores, I bet everyone in the house probably figured it's time to throw in the towel. Not this group," Weis said.

The Irish closed to 34-27 midway through the fourth quarter on a 2-yard TD run by Clausen and a 15-yard TD pass from Clausen to Golden Tate after an interception by Irish cornerback Gary Gray.

Freshman linebacker Manti Te'o, a Punahou alum, and junior linebacker Brian Smith each had eight tackles to lead the Irish.

NO. 2 ALABAMA 20, NO. 22 SOUTH CAROLINA 6

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Mark Ingram rushed for a career-high 246 yards and scored on a 4-yard run for a 20-6 lead with 4:54 left to play, helping the Crimson Tide (7-0, 4-0 SEC) beat the Gamecocks (5-2, 2-2).

Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks had never beaten a team ranked higher than No. 3 and were hoping for their second win over a top-five team this season.

NO. 3 TEXAS 16, NO. 20 OKLAHOMA 13

DALLAS — Aaron Williams knocked Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford out of the game with a first-quarter sack, then he and Earl Thomas picked off passes from backup Landry Jones in the fourth quarter to help the Longhorns (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) hold off the Sooners (3-3, 1-1).

Bradford aggravated the right shoulder injury he sustained in the opener. Jones put the Sooners up 6-0 and he drove them for their only touchdown right after Texas scored its only TD, tying the game at 13 in the third quarter

NO. 19 GEORGIA TECH 28, NO. 4 VIRGINIA TECH 23

ATLANTA — Josh Nesbitt rushed for 122 yards and three touchdowns — the last of them tiptoeing down the sideline to finish off the Hokies (5-2, 3-1 ACC) with 3 minutes left — as the Yellow Jackets (6-1, 4-1) stopped the league's top contender in the national race.

Georgia Tech completed just one pass but ran for 309 yards out of its spread option offense — all but 37 of those yards coming in the second half.

PURDUE 26, NO. 7 OHIO STATE 18

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Joey Elliott threw for 281 yards and two touchdowns, and the Boilermakers (2-5, 1-2 Big Ten) snapped a five-game losing streak by beating the Buckeyes (5-2, 3-1) to effectively end what national-title chances remained for the Buckeyes.

Purdue dominated the first three quarters, then held on as Ohio State tried to mount a comeback behind Terrelle Pryor, who threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles.

NO. 9 MIAMI 27, CENTRAL FLORIDA 7

ORLANDO, Fla. — Jacory Harris completed 20 of 26 passes for 293 yards and a touchdown, Javarris James rushed for another score on the way to topping the 2,000-yard mark for his career as the Hurricanes (5-1) pulled away from the Golden Eagles (3-3).

UCF is now 0-20 against teams in the AP Top 25 since moving to Division I-A in 1996.

NO. 12 TCU 44, COLORADO STATE 6

Jeremy Kerley tiptoed down the sideline, then came to a near stop before finding an open lane to the end zone for a 69-yard punt return as the Horned Frog (6-0, 2-0 Mountain West) routed the Rams (3-4. 0-3) at Fort Worth, Texas.

NO. 14 PENN STATE 20, MINNESOTA 0

Derek Moye had a 12-yard touchdown catch, initially ruled incomplete, then overturned after an official review, for a 13-0 lead as the Nittany Lions (6-1, 2-1 Big Ten) held off the Golden Gophers (4-3, 2-2) at State College, Pa.

TEXAS TECH 31, NO. 15 NEBRASKA 10

Steven Sheffield passed for a touchdown and ran for another in his first road start as the Red Raiders (5-2, 2-1) defeated the Cornhuskers (4-2, 1-1) in Lincoln, Neb., despite being held to 259 yards — 263 under their average.

NO. 16 OKLAHOMA STATE 30, MISSOURI 17

Hubert Anyiam caught an 8-yard touchdown pass just before halftime for a 24-17 lead, and Dan Bailey kicked three second-half field goals as the host Cowboys (5-1, 2-0 Big 12) beat the Tigers (4-2, 0-2).

COLORADO 34, NO. 17 KANSAS 30

Tyler Hansen ran for a touchdown and threw a TD pass as the host Buffaloes (2-4, 1-1 Big 12) raced to a 24-10 halftime lead, and Rodney Stewart scored on a 13-yard run with 8:36 left to play to help upset the Jayhawks (5-1, 1-1).

NO. 18 BYU 38, SAN DIEGO STATE 28

Max Hall threw for 346 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for another score to lead the Cougars (6-1, 3-0 Mountain West Conference) past the Aztecs (2-4, 0-2) in San Diego for the 500th victory in school history.

NO. 23 HOUSTON 44, TULANE 16

Case Keenum was 30 of 43 for 334 yards and two touchdowns, and Bryce Beall and Justin Johnson each ran for two touchdowns as the Cougars (5-1, 1-1 Conference USA) routed the Green Wave (2-4, 0-3) at New Orleans.