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Developing Stories 📰

The Fighting Irish have dominated the last five meetings in this series against the Midshipmen. However, in the previous fall, the Midshipmen nearly staged an impressive comeback. Notre Dame, fresh off two consecutive wins against ranked opponents and a return to the Top 25, secured a commanding 35-13 halftime lead against their traditional rivals. Despite being considered 16.5-point underdogs, Navy mounted an impressive 19-0 run in the second half, bringing them within a field goal with less than two minutes remaining. Ultimately, head coach Marcus Freeman's team managed to run down the clock and secure a narrow 35-32 victory, avoiding an upset.

During the offseason, significant changes occurred at both institutions. South Bend saw quarterbacks Drew Pyne and Tyler Buchner, as well as running back Logan Diggs, transfer out. Additionally, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees left to join Alabama's staff, and Notre Dame bid farewell to All-American talents at tight end (Michael Mayer) and defensive end (Isaiah Foskey), both of whom departed for the NFL. Notably, the addition of Hartman, a Heisman candidate and transfer from Wake Forest, marked a significant boost. With six collegiate seasons under his belt, he brings experience to the team.

Meanwhile, in Annapolis, former defensive coordinator Brian Newberry was promoted to head coach following the dismissal of longtime coach Ken Niumatalolo due to a disappointing 4–8 season.

Navy has struggled in recent years during season openers, with a 1–4 record since 2018, including a home loss to FCS Delaware (14-7) to start 2022. Notre Dame's first year under Freeman ended positively, but they faced early upsets against Marshall and Stanford. As heavy favorites, the Fighting Irish are eager to avoid a similar fate in Ireland. In their previous encounter, the Midshipmen limited Notre Dame to just 66 rushing yards. Notably, only Georgia and James Madison boasted better rushing defenses that season. Consequently, Notre Dame is likely to focus on their aerial attack, holding a clear advantage in that regard. Hartman, who led a top-10 passing offense nationally with the Demon Deacons, is expected to play a key role. On the contrary, the Midshipmen ranked 98th in passing yards allowed in 2022.

Predicting a successful outcome for Notre Dame in Ireland is reasonable, given their history of dominant victories against Navy in previous appearances, such as 2012 (50-10) and 1996 (52-27). Although this game is thousands of miles away from Indiana, the Irish can still count on a supportive home crowd.

The USC Trojans have maintained an unblemished record against the San Jose State Spartans. The expansive 30.5-point spread, by far the largest of Week 0, stands as a testament to the bookmakers' unwavering confidence in USC's ability to extend their flawless 6–0 historical record against their northern counterparts.

This game necessitates an introduction to Williams, the reigning Heisman Trophy holder and the highly touted anticipated top selection in the upcoming 2024 NFL draft. His inaugural season in Los Angeles, guided by the expertise of Coach Lincoln Riley, saw him lead the nation with an impressive 42 passing touchdowns. USC adeptly compensated for the departure of Jordan Addison by securing Arizona's Dorian Singer through the transfer portal. The ensemble of Tahj Washington, Mario Williams, and Singer forms one of the nation's premier receiving units, complemented by the presence of college football's foremost quarterback. While offensive prowess was a defining trait of Riley's team last season, defensive struggles came to the forefront. Despite ranking third nationally in points per game, USC found themselves in the 94th spot for points allowed. This defensive vulnerability hindered their playoff aspirations, highlighted by conceding over 40 points in losses to Utah during the regular season and the subsequent Pac-12 title game.

Spartans' quarterback Chevan Cordeiro helmed a middle-tier offense last season, and he now faces the challenge without his primary target, Elijah Cooks. However, on the flip side, SJSU showcased a top-30 scoring defense that held six opponents to sub-20 point totals.

Anticipate a commanding performance from the Trojans on their home turf, where they emerged unscathed throughout 2022. Notably, USC effectively covered the spread on both occasions when installed as favorites with a margin exceeding 30 points, as exemplified by their resounding 66-14 triumph over Rice in the season opener. To alleviate concerns of a late-game reversal, attention can be redirected to the team totals. Presently, the Trojans stand at 48.5 points, a threshold they surpassed only twice the previous year. Conversely, the Spartans are positioned at 17.5 points. Reflecting on their performances, SJSU scored 16 and 10 points on the road against Auburn and San Diego State, respectively, in the previous fall. It is reasonable to anticipate that a revamped USC defense will similarly stifle San Jose State's offensive endeavors.

Headlines 🚨

On This Day in Sport History: 1950 Sugar Ray Robinson Kos Jose Basora to win middleweight boxing title,

1968 Arthur Ashe becomes 1^st African American to win the US singles championship.

Colin Morikawa shoots 61 to go from 9 shots behind to a 3-way tie for Tour Championship lead.

Rory Mcilroy is playing with a bad back at the FEDEX Cup Finale.

World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg has decided to retire after dealing with injuries the past 3 years.

Angels Shohei Ohtani to keep hitting despite UCL tear.

Astros 16 run loss to Red Sox tied for worst in team history.

Jerry Jeudy carted off from practice after a leg injury, will be out for several weeks.

Rams WR Cooper Kupp feels hell be ready for Week 1.

American Tennis player John Isner will retire after playing in this years 2023 U.S. Open, bringing an end to a career that included a Grand Slam semifinal and a victory in the longest match in sports history.

Mookie Betts returns to Boston for the first time since 2019

Trends 📈📉 via Oddsshark

⚾️ Nationals at Marlins

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Miami's last 5 games

⚾️ Yankees at Rays

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Yankees's last 6 games

• The total has gone OVER in 6 of NY Yankees's last 8 games when playing Tampa Bay

• Tampa Bay is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

• Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

⚾️ Astros at Tigers

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 5 games

• The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games at home

⚾️ Rockies at Orioles

• The total has gone OVER in 7 of Colorado's last 8 games

⚾️ Cardinals at Phillies

• The total has gone UNDER in 6 of St. Louis's last 7 games when playing Philadelphia

• The total has gone UNDER in 6 of St. Louis's last 9 games

• Philadelphia is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing St. Louis

⚾️ Cubs at Pirates

• Chi Cubs is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chi Cubs's last 5 games on the road

• The total has gone OVER in 10 of Pittsburgh's last 12 games at home

• The total has gone OVER in 6 of Pittsburgh's last 8 games when playing Chi Cubs

⚾️ Guardians at Blue Jays

• Cleveland is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Toronto

• The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Cleveland's last 8 games when playing Toronto

• The total has gone UNDER in 18 of Toronto's last 25 games

⚾️ Dodgers at Red Sox

• LA Dodgers is 15-2 SU in its last 17 games

• LA Dodgers is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road

⚾️ Angles at Mets

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Angels's last 6 games

• The total has gone OVER in 9 of LA Angels's last 11 games when playing NY Mets

• The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Mets's last 5 games when playing at home against LA Angels

⚾️ Athletics at White Sox

• Oakland is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chi White Sox's last 5 games when playing Oakland

• The total has gone OVER in 6 of Chi White Sox's last 7 games

⚾️ Padres at Brewers

• The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Diego's last 5 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 5 games at home

⚾️ Rangers at Twins

• Texas is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Minnesota

• The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Minnesota's last 7 games when playing at home against Texas

• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing Texas

⚾️ Royals at Mariners

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Seattle's last 5 games when playing Kansas City

⚾️ Braves at Giants

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing San Francisco

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Francisco's last 5 games when playing at home against Atlanta

• The total has gone UNDER in 17 of San Francisco's last 20 games at home

Public Money 🤑 via VSiN at 9AMCT

⚾️ MLB

66% of bets and 86% of money is on MIA -1.5 (+105)

62% of bets and 81% of money is on TOR -1.5 (+130)

57% of bets and 79% of money is on LAD -1.5 (+120)

56% of bets and 81% of money is on TEX -1.5 (+160)

38% of bets and 56% of money is on MIL -115

68% of bets and 84% of money is on CIN +125

33% of bets and 59% of money is on UNDER 8.5 ATL at SF

🏈 NFL

8.25.23

29% of bets and 57% of money is on CAR -3.5

29% of bets and 67% of money is on SF -7.5

8.26.23

43% of bets and 78% of money is on UNDER 39.5 SEA at GB

23% of bets and 49% of money is on ARI +1.5

21% of bets and 69% of money is on TB -130

38% of bets and 72% of money is on LV -5

Future Odds 🔮 via Bovada Sportsbook

Weekend Picks 🔒

Notre Dame/Navy Under 49.5 | If there’s one phrase to describe Navy, and the military schools as a whole, it’s old school. They have a ground-and-pound style and make it no mystery that they’re going to run straight at you. Navy is famous for the triple-option offense, which means even their QB is essentially another RB. Add in the fact its supposed to rain an no clock stoppage on first down this looks like an under game.

Vanderbilt TT Over 36.5 | The Rainbow Warriors have had no answer for pass-heavy quarterbacks and won’t be able to slow this experienced SEC offense. The Commodores scored at least 35 points in nine of their 12 games in 2022.

SDSU -2.5 | Back for the Aztecs is senior quarterback Jalen Mayden. The second-year starter completed 141 of 237 passes (59.5%) for 2,030 yards and 12 touchdowns with 10 interceptions in 2022. He also rushed 69 times for 231 yards (3.3 average) and three touchdowns. Mayden, a converted defensive back, was named an honorable mention All-Mountain West selection at quarterback, despite playing only the final seven games.