ESPN names the Miami Hurricanes as Notre Dame's arch villan for the upcoming 2025 season
USC would have made perfect sense, as would Ohio State (who Notre Dame could face for the fourth-straight year if they meet in the College Football Playoff, but is not currently a scheduled opponent), but Adam Rittenberg went with the Hurricanes. The last time these two faced off against each other was in 2017, with a convincing Miami win, 41-8.
Both teams have CFP hopes this season, and there is some drama surrounding the two. Miami's starting quarterback is now Carson Beck, who was one the sidelines as the Irish defeated his former team, the Georgia Bulldogs in the CFP quarterfinals, out with an injury. Rittenberg thinks that he's 'talented enough to villainize a Notre Dame defense replacing standouts Xavier Watts, Jack Kiser, Rylie Mills and others and appearing in its first game under new coordinator Chris Ash.'
Rittenberg isn't off his rocker with his assessment, but remember, Beck is coming off an injury, while he's also learning a new offense and working with new skill position players. His play regressed from 2023 to 2024, throwing for less yards, a lower completion percentage and doubled the amount of interceptions thrown. Not exactly awe inspiring progression from Beck.
Now, Rittenberg does make another solid point, as head coach Marcus Freeman has a history of September losses, as every one of his three years has seen one happen. Personally, I would have picked USC, as there is always drama on the field, and this year it's off it was well with the Trojans potentially wanting to end its rivalry with the Irish. Both are good choices, and we will see how it all plays out soon.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Dolphins bring in 2022 NFL rushing touchdowns leader for visit
The Miami Dolphins brought in free agent running back Jamaal Williams for a workout Monday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Williams, 30, led the NFL in rushing touchdowns in 2022 with 17 and became the first Detroit Lions running back in nearly a decade to eclipse 1,000 yards in a season. But after parlaying that success into a three-year, $12 million deal with the New Orleans Saints in free agency, Williams struggled to produce with his new squad. In the last two seasons, Williams recorded only 470 rushing yards, two touchdowns, and 3.1 yards per carry. But the 224-pound power back could be a logical fit for the Dolphins, who are still struggling to get the job done in short-yardage situations. During a preseason opener against the Chicago Bears, three straight Jaylen Wright runs near the goal line were stuffed, resulting in a turnover on downs. Ollie Gordon II and Alexander Mattison found more success in those situations, but the latter suffered an injury after landing on his head. Williams worked out for the Bears a day prior to the Sunday preseason matchup. This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Dolphins bring in former Lions, Saints RB Jamaal Williams for visit
NBC Sports
21 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Texas is No. 1 in preseason AP Top 25 for first time, edging Penn State, Ohio State; 10 SEC teams ranked
For the first time, Texas will open a college football season ranked No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25. The Longhorns hardly have a mandate in the poll: They edged out Penn State by just five points in the closest preseason vote since 1998. Texas received 25 first-place votes and 1,552 points to give the Southeastern Conference the preseason No. 1 team for a record fifth straight year. The Nittany Lions got 23 first-place votes and 1,547 points for their highest preseason ranking since they were No. 1 to open the 1997 season. The Longhorns face a major test right away. Their Aug. 30 opener at defending champion and third-ranked Ohio State is a rematch of last season's College Football Playoff semifinal, a 28-14 Buckeyes win in the Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes received 11 first-place votes from the panel of 65 media members who cover college football. No. 4 Clemson got four first-place votes and No. 5 Georgia got one. Notre Dame, Oregon (which got the final first-place vote), Alabama, LSU and Miami round out the top 10. The SEC leads all conferences with 10 teams in the preseason Top 25, most ever by a conference and one more than a year ago. The SEC has four teams in the top 10 for the second straight year. The Big Ten, which has won the last two national championships, has two of the top three teams in the poll for the third straight year and six in the Top 25 for the third year in a row. Four Big 12 teams are ranked, with defending conference champion Arizona State the highest at No. 11. The Atlantic Coast Conference has three, led by Clemson. Top-ranked Texas 'Arch Mania' is at a fever pitch in Texas with Arch Manning now the undisputed starting quarterback. The Longhorns have been on an upward trajectory since they were 5-7 in 2021, Steve Sarkisian's first season. They have won 25 of their last 30 games and reached two straight CFP semifinals. Last year, they were ranked No. 1 four of five weeks from mid-September to mid-October, and they reached the SEC championship game in their first season in the conference. 'But this is a new year, new faces, new team, and obviously expectations are high for our program,' Sarkisian said at SEC media days. 'I'm not naive to that. I don't put my head in the sand, and expectations are very high. But I also say we're the University of Texas, and the standard is the standard here, and that's competing for championships year in and year out.' Twelve Texas players were taken in the NFL draft, including three-first-round picks, but elite recruiting and additions from the transfer portal should alleviate concerns about losses on the offensive line and at receiver. The defense brings back plenty of talent. Still, Texas received just 38.5% of the first-place votes (25 of 65), the smallest share for a No. 1 team in the preseason poll since Georgia got 33.9% (22 of 65) in 2008. The Longhorns have ended a season No. 1 in the AP poll three times (1963, 1969, 2005) but until now had never started a season higher than No. 2 (1962, 1965, 1970, 2005, 2009). Big Ten lurking The second-ranked Nittany Lions are not only six points from being No. 1, they are 75 points ahead of the Buckeyes in what might be considered a slight to the national champs. Penn State will have Drew Allar back under center for what many consider a light schedule ahead of a late September visit from Oregon before a Nov. 1 showdown at Ohio State. The Buckeyes, in the preseason top five for the ninth straight year and 12th of the last 13, will have a new look with only five starters back on offense and three on defense. 'This team has its own identity,' coach Ryan Day said. 'It wants to have its own identity, but it also wants to be the first Ohio State team to win back-to-back national championships.' The opener against Texas will give the Buckeyes a good measure of themselves. Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz will be the third new starting quarterback in three years. Whoever gets the job will throw to one of the nation's top players in Jeremiah Smith. Day will also have another chance to figure out archrival and preseason No. 14 Michigan, which has beaten the Buckeyes four straight years. Poll nuggets — Texas will try to become the 12th team to start and finish No. 1 since the AP preseason poll debuted in 1950. The last team to do it was Alabama in 2017. — Notre Dame is in the preseason top 10 for the third time in four years. The Fighting Irish will have a new quarterback, CJ Carr or Kenny Minchey. The two played a combined eight snaps last season as Notre Dame went all the way to the CFP title game won by Ohio State. — With Boise State at No. 25, all 12 teams in the 2024 College Football Playoff are ranked in the preseason. The Mountain West's Broncos are the first team from a Group of Five conference to crack the preseason Top 25 since Tulane was No. 24 in 2023. — No. 16 SMU, which returns quarterback Kevin Jennings from its CFP team, is in the preseason Top 25 for the first time in 40 years. The 1985 team was No. 3 and finished 6-5 and unranked. AP Top 25 college football poll rankings Texas Penn State Ohio State Clemson Georgia Notre Dame Oregon Alabama LSU Miami (FL) Arizona State Illinois South Carolina Michigan Florida SMU Kansas State Oklahoma Texas A&M Indiana Ole Miss Iowa State Texas Tech Tennessee Boise State
NBC Sports
23 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Salter, Iamaleava lead Heisman Trophy longshots
Trysta Krick and Vaughn Dalzell discuss notable longshots who could make a run at the Heisman Trophy in 2025, highlighting Colorado's Kaidon Salter, UCLA's Nico Iamaleava, and Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love.
