Roundup: USC and Notre Dame meet in big non-conference clash
USC plays a mega non-conference game at Notre Dame Saturday night (4:30 p.m. PT, NBC), and the Fighting Irish won’t be 100 percent going into the matchup – Notre Dame linebacker Greer Martini will miss the USC game with a knee injury suffered during a practice (Yahoo Sports). Martini is the team’s third-leading tackler and also has two forced fumbles. Also, USA TODAY Sports gives us a USC-Notre Dame game outlook.
Washington State wide receiver Tavares Martin Jr. is suspended for the Colorado game for apparently missing a practice (Yahoo Sports). The 15th-ranked Cougs host the Buffs for a 7:45 p.m. PT/8:45 p.m. MT kickoff on ESPN.
Here’s a Colorado-Washington State scouting report, courtesy of Brian Howell.
Take a look at Oregon football’s uniforms for its game against UCLA on Saturday (1 p.m. PT, Pac-12 Networks). Chrome helmets, y’all.
Lynn Worthy reports that Utah’s playbook will be “wide open” if quarterback Tyler Huntley plays against Arizona State (12:30 p.m. PT/1:30 p.m. MT, FOX Sports 1). Huntley returned to practice earlier this week.
Jeff Metcalfe notes how Arizona State football has become a ball-control team, as the Sun Devils rank in the top 20 nationally in time of possession.
Cal hosts Arizona in primetime Saturday night (5 p.m. PT, Pac-12 Networks), and Rusty Simmons writes that Cal linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk has stepped up as a leader on defense.
Dusan Ristic was named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabar Preseason Watch List Friday as one of the best centers in college basketball. Ristic joins teammates Allonzo Trier (Jerry West Award), Deandre Ayton (Karl Malone Award) and Rawle Alkins (Julius Erving Award) who were all named to preseason watch lists this week.
John Canzano tells us that Oregon State is gearing up to take a “bold step” in facilities upgrades; about $300 million worth of upgrades to Reser Stadium, Gill Coliseum and more.
Be sure you read this story on Morrison Warren, Stanford football’s first black recruit. Big ups to David Kiefer of Stanford athletics for this one (and Mr. Warren as well, of course). Really good stuff here.
Former UCLA football player and assistant coach John Johnson died on Oct. 14, and memorial services will take place on Thursday in Culver City. Johnson was 96 (UCLABruins.com).
Bryan Fischer of CollegeFootballTalk, and formerly of Pac-12.com, notes that ESPN apologized to Washington AD Jen Cohen for its cupcake stunt during the broadcast of the Cal game.