No casual week ahead for Notre Dame and Marcus Freeman! They have a lot to lose against the Trojans on Saturday. A clean win can guarantee their playoff berth and a first-round home playoff game. And the reverse? You do the maths! Now, there’s no doubt that Freeman led his team with an unprecedented seriousness to head to a tough opponent at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for a highly touted noon kickoff. But this is not enough.

Ultimately, they need to deliver in that crucial one hour and, most importantly, restrict an extraordinary USC lineup from picking up their easy peasy moments. But you can bet it will not be a cakewalk for Freeman and his boys, especially when you count three unstoppable Trojans beasts. Who are those potential game changers to tear up the Irish? Watch yourselves, Notre Dame gang!

Insider Ryan Roberts put Irish RB Jo’quavious “Woody” Marks at the top of the potential threats list. If you judge him according to the consistency parameter, he will be the same guy every day in the red and yellow jersey. The USC senior hit the mark of 1000 rushing yards for the season (the first ever USC back to score that since 2017) even with a flu bug embedded in his blood in a game against Nebraska. The streak continued through the UCLA Bruins clash, where he rushed for 76 yards, leading the team to a 19-13 victory. The numbers under his belt are hard to count, and the fire in his legs is hard to ignore.

Poll of the day

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Can Marcus Freeman's Notre Dame defense handle the explosive USC Trojans lineup?

Yes, they'll rise to the challenge

No, USC's offense is too strong

It'll be a close call

Freeman needs a miracle

Which era of golf do you think had the better style and equipment?

1900s elegance and tradition

Modern functionality and comfort

Both have their charm

Neither, golf is about skill

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Do you think the criticism of Serena Williams' appearance in her daughter's play was fair?

Yes, public figures should expect scrutiny

No, it's unnecessary and harsh

It's part of being in the spotlight

Not sure

Is Cooper Flagg living up to the hype as the next big thing in basketball?

Absolutely, he's a future star

Not yet, he needs more time

He's overrated

Too early to tell

Do you believe Iga Swiatek's explanation for her doping scandal is credible?

Yes, it was an honest mistake

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Adding to the hype, Ryan Roberts noted, ‘‘He’s a dense physical runner who catches the ball extremely well. This is the one guy that gives you a lot of worries in both avenues because, obviously, he’s very prone to catching the football and doing it well. He’s the type of guy that we have some games where Notre Dame’s run defense hasn’t been stellar, so this Woody Marks is the player that gives you some worry if you don’t have a game plan for him.”

Red flag for Freeman! He clearly needs to take special care of the guy who answered the bell for the Trojans all year long.

But he’s not alone and deserves some extra attention. Trojans have a handful of indomitable kids that can simply wreak the opponent’s nerve at any given chance.

USC Trojans’ other top dogs to watch out for:

The next young monster in Roberts’s ‘be aware’ list is Zachariah Branch. You can hardly find a more dynamic playmaker at his age in the entire college football schedule. He hasn’t bloomed in his full grace so far this season, but that doesn’t mean he’s someone you can sleep on. Absolutely not. I mean, the 20-year-old might have just scored 43 receptions for 458 yards and a touchdown with a lackluster punt-returning game, but don’t just let it fool you. Riley has an ace in the hole in him. If the Irish defense gives him one chance, he will be ready to ward off his season drought with some massive big plays.

Robert said, ‘It’s still the guy I worry about the most. As we saw with his punt return last season against Notre Dame, he’s the type of guy that can just flip a game in a hurry.”

Playing a hypothetic scenario, the Notre Dame insider alerted he was very much capable of turning a small game into an explosive or able to flip the field on a punt return even at the slightest tweak.

Last but not least, Robert added another supremely talented receiver, Makai Lemon, to the list. The 5 ft 11 has been a solid flex for Riley, leading the team with over 500 receiving wards and lurking for more.

There is no ceiling for such an abundant roster! Good luck, Marcus Freeman!