(Los Angeles) — In a season that featured a major turnaround, Notre Dame’s secondary had one as well.

Two to be exact.

Both Christian Gray and Xavier Watts had coast-to-coast interception returns for touchdowns in the fourth quarter, as #5 Notre Dame prevailed over archrival USC, 49-35. The win raised the Irish record to 11-1 and virtually guaranteed they will be one of the 12 teams selected for the College Football Playoff.

Notre Dame led 35-28, and USC appeared to be driving for a game-tying score with just over four minutes to go, when Gray picked off a Jayden Maiava pass at the Irish 1 and raced back 99 yards along the home sideline to give the Irish a two-touchdown lead.

Maiava brought USC right back down the field, but on a fourth down pass under pressure, his throw was pilfered by Watts in the end zone, and the All-American set a school record with a 100-yard return for a score

“it’s exciting,” Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman told CBS after the game. “I’m proud of these guys. They continue to battle. I’m proud to be part of something very special. To see where we were 84 days ago to where we are now, it’s a testament to the trust and decisions those guys in that locker room and coaching staff and everybody that helps made.”

The two rivals met for the 95th time on a sun-splashed day at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and traded touchdowns for most of the game. It was knotted at 7-7 in the second quarter, when both squads scored on 12-yard touchdown passes in the final minute of the first half. Riley Leonard hit Eli Raridon for the Irish score with :59 left, but 35 seconds later, Maiava connected with Ja’Kobi Lane for the first of three TD’s between them.

Jadarian Price started the second half with a 36-yard touchdown run. Price would lead Notre Dame’s rushing attack with 111 yards, while Jeremiyah Love added 99 before departing with a leg injury in the second half.

Maiava scored on a quarterback sneak with just over nine minutes left in the third, tying the game at 21, before Leonard gave the Irish some breathing room. First, the Irish quarterback ran one in from two yards out, and then hit Mitchell Evans for a 23-yard score.  For the day, Leonard was 17-of-22 passing for 155 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

USC falls to 6-6 for the season.

The Irish will find out their final playoff ranking and seeding on December 8. The first round of playoff games will be staged on campus sites on Friday, December 20 and Saturday, December 21.