SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame wide receiver Corey Robinson kept a simple motto in mind as he worked for three-plus quarters without hauling in a pass Saturday against USC.

"You've just got to know: Always be ready," Robinson said. "I tell all the young guys: You never know when you're going to be able to get that one play that is going to change everything."

In the fourth quarter, Robinson earned his opportunity -- and made his play. He hauled in the go-ahead touchdown as No. 14 Notre Dame posted a 41-31 victory against the Trojans.

Running back C.J. Prosise added 143 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Notre Dame (6-1) earned its fourth win in the past six meetings against USC and topped 40 points against the Trojans for the first time since 1977.

The Fighting Irish scored 17 unanswered points after trailing 31-24 after three quarters. Quarterback DeShone Kizer passed for 227 yards and two touchdowns.

"I really liked our temperament as a football team," Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said. "They didn't show any kind of crack at all. They were confident. They believed that they were going to win."

Meanwhile, USC fell short in a wild game after a turbulent week that included the abrupt departure of their coach, Steve Sarkisian. Interim coach Clay Helton lost his first game six days after replacing Sarkisian, who was fired after reportedly missing a practice.

Quarterback Cody Kessler completed 30 of 46 passes for 365 yards and two touchdowns. But the senior signal caller threw two interceptions in the fourth quarter to spoil the comeback bid for USC (3-3).

The Trojans fell short despite outgaining Notre Dame 590-476.

"At the end of the day, mistakes hurt us," Helton said. "It is not for lack of effort. I am extremely proud of how the kids fought, especially through adversity. The mistakes got us, and that's my job as a head coach to relieve those and correct those."

The score was tied at 24 at halftime before USC grabbed a 31-24 edge with 9:40 to go in the third quarter. Kessler found tight end Taylor McNamara for a 4-yard touchdown pass.

Notre Dame pulled even at 31 on a 6-yard touchdown run by Prosise in the first minute of the fourth quarter.

The decisive play belonged to Robinson, the son of NBA Hall of Famer David Robinson. The 6-foot-4 wideout extended his body horizontally to catch a 10-yard pass and give Notre Dame a 38-31 lead with 9:06 remaining in the fourth quarter.

"I knew it was going to be one-on-one and I'd have to beat him on the outside," Robinson said. "I just dove out and tried to get my feet in. Then I rolled over and all the guys were in my face, so I guessed it was a touchdown."

Justin Yoon added a 32-yard field goal to increase Notre Dame's lead to 41-31 with 5:39 remaining.

"It turned some question marks into exclamation marks relative to their mental toughness today," Kelly said.

Kessler gave USC a 7-0 lead on the opening drive when he faked a handoff and rolled right for a 3-yard touchdown run.

Notre Dame evened the score at 7 on its first play from scrimmage. Wide receiver Will Fuller sprinted past USC cornerback Adoree' Jackson and Kizer hit him in stride for a 75-yard touchdown.

USC regained a 10-7 lead on a 42-yard field goal by Alex Wood.

A 25-yard touchdown run by Prosise put Notre Dame on top 14-10 on the next series.

Notre Dame increased its lead to 21-10 on a blocked punt with 5:04 to go in the first quarter. Equanimeous St. Brown burst through the line of scrimmage to block the punt by USC's Kris Albarado, and Amir Carlisle scooped the ball and raced 5 yards to the end zone.

A 32-yard field goal by Yoon put Notre Dame ahead 24-10.

USC evened the score at 24 thanks to back-to-back touchdowns by JuJu Smith-Schuster and Jackson.

"I truly believe this is a good football team that can be great," Helton said. "There's no reason that we can't go win the Pac-12 South."

NOTES: USC interim coach Clay Helton, who replaced Steve Sarkisian on Oct. 11, became the Trojans' fourth leader to face Notre Dame in the past four years. Helton followed Sarkisian (2014), interim coach Ed Orgeron (2013) and coach Lane Kiffin (2012). ... Notre Dame LG Alex Bars left the game in the second quarter with a left leg injury. ... USC C Toa Lobendahn replaced C Max Tuerk, who sustained a season-ending knee injury last week. ... Notre Dame honored alums Jerome Bettis and Tim Brown, both of whom were 2015 inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, during a pregame ceremony at midfield.