Notre Dame and USC both made their debuts Saturday, bringing a couple of new additions to the roster that could change the playoff picture this season. Wake Forest transfer Sam Hartman scored as many touchdowns as incompletions (four) for the Irish in a 42-3 win over the Navy in Ireland. True Trojan horse newcomer Zachariah Branch made as good an impression as could be at first sight. In USC’s 56-28 win over San Jose State, he amassed 213 all-purpose yards, two touchdowns and a series of highlights, including a 96-yard kickoff return.
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While the USC defense struggled at times, reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams was in full control, but it just so happened that viewers and presenters couldn’t stop raving about Branch. The exaggeration reached Reggie Bush levels, and I almost agreed because his first touchdown made you do a double take.
The speed, acceleration and gear changes are breathtaking, and this talent is why Lincoln Riley’s potential at USC is limitless. Jordan Addison was a first-round pick for the Vikings, and his replacement at Southern Cal might as well be a 19-year-old.
This Trojan attack will have devastating consequences. They also have at least one tight end and a number of thoroughbred running backs. However, we now know that Williams has a game-changer that should come in handy against teams like Notre Dame in mid-October.
Sam Hartman is the best Irish QB since ____?
The transfer portal could be the most influential change of this new era, and this is a prime example of why. While I certainly sympathize with the Demon Deacon fans, Hartman legitimizes this Notre Dame team, and a one-loss Irishman deserves a playoff spot just as much as any SEC or Big Ten team does with their game plan .
He finished 19 of 23 for 251 yards and led the team to touchdowns on every drive but one, and on that breakaway Spencer Shrader missed a field goal 42 yards. Here’s one of those Hartman cents because football is back.
The Golden Domers’ gripping running game should provide plenty of balance and play-action opportunities. Audric Estime is the workhorse but they have a strong squad of talent up there with USC backcourt and better defense (at least from what I’ve seen against the Midshipmen and their triple attack). While Notre Dame is expected to be USC’s first major Test of the season, the Buckeyes are visiting South Bend in less than a month.
Notre Dame hosts Ohio State and USC and travels to Clemson. Hartman has more yards, starts, and touchdown passes than the starting quarterbacks for all three of those teams combined. Win two games out of three and take care of the rest of the game plan, and Marcus Freeman will have the Irishmen in the college football playoffs with a quarterback who may be better than anyone Brian Kelly coached during his tenure.
A sad and happy day for Jets fan Adam Sandler
On the same day that Aaron Rodgers made his debut with the New York Jets, Bob Barker died at the age of 99. Those two things are related because Adam Sandler is probably the most famous Jets fan running, and he filmed the iconic scene with the former “Price is Right” host, in which Sandler’s character, Happy Gilmore, has a nervous breakdown on the golf course and then gets beat up and called a slut by his pro playing partner, Barker.
Happy Gilmore | Throw punches with Bob Barker
RIP, Bob.
And finally, Aaron Rodgers throws a touchdown to Garrett Wilson.
Source : deadspin.com