Own the group chat with The Weekender, highlighting the biggest stories in college sports, standout writing from Eleven Warriors, and a glance at what's next.
Both ranked teams that played in Week 0 opened their seasons with victories on Saturday, as No. 13 Notre Dame defeated Navy 42-3 in Ireland and No. 6 USC bested San Jose State 56-28.
The Fighting Irish held Navy to zero passing yards until late in the third quarter and Wake Forest transfer quarterback Sam Hartman dazzled in his debut with Notre Dame, going 19-of-23 for 266 yards with four touchdowns while looking composed in the pocket throughout the day in rainy conditions. Running back Audric Estime led the rushing attack with 95 yards and a touchdown on the ground while freshman wideout Jaden Greathouse caught three passes for 68 yards and two touchdowns.
For USC, reigning Heisman trophy winner Caleb Williams dazzled, completing 18 of 25 passes for 278 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions. Oh yeah, he also did this.
Caleb. Williams. pic.twitter.com/dcst4hsLMs
— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) August 27, 2023
Freshman wideout Zion Branch dazzled in his collegiate debut, catching four passes for 58 yards and a touchdown while also returning a kickoff 96 yards for a score.
Michigan suspends offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore one game
Jim Harbaugh won't be the only coach on the Michigan staff serving a self-imposed suspension. Per Rivals, Michigan offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore has been suspended for the team's season opener against East Carolina in response to the NCAA allegations levied against the program in the offseason. Moore will be able to coach this week in practice, but cannot be with the team for their season opener Saturday.
Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter will be the interim head coach on Saturday in the absence of Harbaugh and Moore.
Arizona State self-imposes one-year bowl ban
With only a few days remaining before Arizona State begins its season against Southern Utah on Thursday, the Sun Devils' players and coaches received some bad news from their administration. Per ESPN's Pete Thamel, the program self-imposed a one-year bowl ban on its football program for the 2023 season, sanctioning itself for violations committed under former coach Herm Edwards.
"Arizona State University has informed the NCAA and Pac-12 conference that it will self-impose a one-year postseason ban on its football program for the upcoming season," athletic director Ray Anderson told ESPN in a statement. "In light of the ongoing investigation and our membership obligation to maintain the confidentiality of the matter, we will not be commenting further at this time."
While the Sun Devils were likely a longshot become bowl eligible this season anyway, the bowl ban cements their final season in the Pac-12 will come without any postseason appearances before ASU heads to the Big 12. The Sun Devils still could be an interesting watch this season, with highly-touted freshman signal caller Jaden Rashada named the team's starting quarterback.
ICYMI
Season Preview Roundtable: Discussing Key Topics Ahead of the 2023 Ohio State Football Slate
Ramzy Nasrallah, Chase Brown and Matt Gutridge break down their thoughts about the upcoming football season, including TreVeyon Henderson, play calling and more.
“They Both Deserve to Play at This Point”: Ryan Day Preparing for Competition Between Devin Brown, Kyle McCord to Continue Into Season
Dan Hope breaks down Ryan Day's comments about the quarterback competition between Kyle McCord and Devin Brown, which very well could go into the season.
Five-star 2024 Defensive Lineman Eddrick Houston Commits to Ohio State
Ohio State landed its second five-star defensive lineman of the 2024 class in Eddrick Houston. Recruiting analyst Garrick Hodge breaks down what it means for the Buckeyes.
What's Next
- 6 Days Until: Ohio State at Indiana, 3:30 p.m. (CBS)
- 27 Days Until: Ohio State at Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m. (NBC)
- 55 Days Until: Ohio State vs. Penn State, TBD
- 90 Days Until: Ohio State at Michigan, Noon (FOX)
- Women's Soccer: Vs. Oakland, 5 p.m. Thursday
