Notre Dame vs. USC 2012: 'Bring the hammer to the SEC, boys'

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are headed to the BCS National Championship Game.

No. 1 Notre Dame needed only one more win to cap off the perfect regular season and punch their ticket to Miami on Jan. 7. And Saturday on the road against the USC Trojans, the Fighting Irish pulled it off, winning, 22-13.

Quarterback Everett Golson played well, completing 15-of-26 passes for 217 yards, and running back Theo Riddick pounded the USC defense all night, ending up with 146 yards and one touchdown. But, as usual, Notre Dame's best performance came on the defensive side of the ball. Twice, Notre Dame held the goal line against a threatening USC offense, with the second goal-line stand including four plays from inside the Fighting Irish one-yard line.

SB Nation's Notre Dame blog, One Foot Down, writes that it's about time the SEC got a taste of this Fighting Irish defense.

Defense. Five stops inside the four yard line. 167 yards and one touchdown for the best receiving duo in the country. Yet another opponent held to their season low point total. And a two-score win over SC. I cannot say enough about this defense. Bring the hammer to the SEC, boys.

Per most speculation, Notre Dame will meet the winner of the SEC Championship Game between Alabama and Georgia in the National Title game.