USC head coach Lincoln Riley has once again landed in the spotlight, and not for a good reason. The noise around him this time came after Saturday night’s loss to Oregon, when his comments about linebacker Desman Stephens II drew criticism far beyond the box score.
The issue wasn’t just the targeting call itself. Stephens hit Oregon’s quarterback in the head on what was described as a textbook targeting example, then stayed on the sideline after being ejected instead of heading to the locker room.
Riley said after the game, “I did not see it. No,” when asked about the celebrations.
He also said Stephens remained on the sideline “because he’s on our football team.”
That response didn’t sit well, and even the Los Angeles Times weighed in sharply, arguing that if Riley can’t be counted on to do the right thing - or even recognize the wrong thing - it raises real questions about whether he can guide the program to the championship level expected of him.
Elsewhere in Notre Dame-related news, Jeremiyah Love delivered the kind of performance that turns heads. In the Arizona Cardinals’ 36-30 loss to the 49ers on Sunday, Love posted his best game as a pro.
He handled 21 carries and added five receptions for a total of 26 touches, rushing for a career-high 90 yards while averaging 4.3 yards per carry. He also chipped in 19 receiving yards and scored his first-ever fourth-quarter receiving touchdown, finishing with 109 total yards.
Back on the college side, Purdue’s loss to Notre Dame featured a key turning point when Barry Odom tried a fake punt. The play came up a yard short of the first-down marker, and soon after Notre Dame was in front 7-0 on its way to a 49-10 win.
Joey O’Brien also made his mark in a big way, earning his first career start for Notre Dame and making the most of it. The true freshman finished with 5 tackles and his first career sack, then addressed the comparisons to NFL safety Kyle Hamilton.
“I mean, it’s a great feeling to be compared to him, but I’m Joey O’Brien," the true freshman said after the game. "I gotta do what I gotta do.
Of course, we have the same traits, stuff like that. But I’m just trying to be the best me and just be the best player to help this team.”
In Other News...
Notre Dame Just Lost A Transfer WR In The Most Frustrating Way
Quincy Porters time at Notre Dame has hit an especially cruel snag before it ever had a chance to get started. Marcus Freeman said the transfer wide receiver will undergo season-ending patella surgery later this week, officially shutting down a 2026 campaign in which Porter never got to take a single snap for the Irish after coming over from Ohio State.
Porter had already been battling injury issues that kept pushing back his return, and the timing makes the setback sting even more. Under recent NCAA eligibility rule changes, he also cannot redshirt this season, which means 2025 is effectively gone from a roster-building standpoint and leaves Notre Dame waiting to see what comes next for a player who was supposed to add depth to the receiver room. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Got The Early Break Purdue Couldnt Recover From
Barry Odom had plenty to sort through after Purdues 49-10 loss to Notre Dame, but the Boilermakers defense drew the sharpest criticism. The first-year head coach pointed to several calls he believed hurt his team early, and the Irish took advantage as the game quickly slipped out of hand. Purdue also put itself in a difficult spot with a fake punt attempt that came close to working before turning into another swing moment for Notre Dame.
For a team trying to steady itself against FBS competition, the concern is less about one bad night than the trend it now sits in. Purdue has lost three straight games to FBS opponents, and the margins have grown each time, which only adds to the pressure to clean up the defense and avoid giving away momentum so early. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dames Purdue Rout Raised One Big Question About This Team
Notre Dames 49-10 romp at Purdue did more than keep the Shillelagh Trophy in South Bend. It also reinforced how quickly this team can seize control when the offense starts fast and the defense begins dictating terms, as the Irish built a comfortable lead early and never let the Boilermakers get back into it. With Purdue held to just 10 points, there was plenty to like in the way Notre Dame handled a road rivalry game and plenty of attention on contributors such as Micah Gilbert, Joey OBrien and Rodney Dunham.
Even so, the victory also left a familiar kind of conversation hanging in the background. Not every piece of the roster looked as sharp as the final score suggested, and some of the inconsistent play from names like Jaden Greathouse kept the game from feeling like a complete offensive clean-up. For a team with bigger goals ahead, the question now is less about whether Notre Dame can win in convincing fashion and more about which version of the Irish will show up once the schedule stiffens. [Read more 🡒]