We’re back! It’s the race that stops the nation and, in 2023, it’s going to be an absolute classic.
Not sure who to back? Not to worry, as we take you through the best selections and some value runners in Tuesday’s 10-race card at the glorious Flemington racecourse.
RACE 1 – Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1000m)
Admitted, who is one of just three horses with race experience in this field, was far too strong for his rivals in his impressive debut win for James Cummings over this same trip at 1000m. He never looked like losing then, gets James McDonald in the saddle and deserves to be a short price. Dublin Down also comes out of that race and, while he was no match for the winner, put a gap on third and should improve third-up. Blue Stratum looks a really smart colt with plenty of speed and was strong from start to finish in his recent jumpout win at Terang, while you have to respect the trainer/jockey combinations of fellow debutants Odinson and Catoggio.
Top selections:
1. Admitted 4. Blue Stratum 7. Odinson 5. Catoggio
RACE 2 – Furphy Plate (1800m)
Forgot You comes out of the JRA Cup where he finished third behind the in-form Ain’tnodeeldun at the Valley. He was slow out of the gates that day and settled last, but was able to hit the line very strongly once he found clear air, recording the fastest last 200 metres of the race. He’ll be ideally suited by the wider Flemington track and should feature in the finish. Lord Vladivostok has been racing really well. He was luckless in the Group 2 Damien Oliver on Derby Day and before that got too far back in the Murray Bridge Cup where he was excellent through the line. He’s ideally suited by the step up in trip and looks a key winning chance on the quick backup. Mr Maestro is a danger who can win without surprise second-up, and Pounding steps down in class.
Top selections:
4. Forgot You 6. Lord Vladivostok 7. Mr Maestro 1. Pounding
RACE 3 – TAB Trophy (1800m)
Aztec State was a strong winner on debut over 1500m before heading to Caulfield and running third after being held up at a crucial stage on the turn. He still found the line well with the fastest final furlong, and every sign indicates he’ll relish Flemington and 1800m. He’s the one to beat. It’s a similar story with Queen Of Dragons. The filly for Peter and Paul Snowden lost momentum at a crucial stage in the Callander-Presnell at Randwick, having to cross the heels of the slowing leaders down the straight and needing to make up too much ground by the time she found clear running. She closed off well and went better than the seventh-placed finish suggests.
Top selections:
2. Aztec State 10. Queen Of Dragons 7. Warmonger 3. Binotto
RACE 4 – The Schweppervescence Plate (1000m)
It’s hard to ignore Barber here. The three-year-old colt comes through the Roman Consul Stakes at Rosehill where he was slowly away but kept on well when asked for an effort late. He was two lengths off King’s Gambit then and also finished behind eventual Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Ozzmosis, so the form stacks up and he steps down in class to tackle a race he can definitely win third-up. Stablemate Stanislaus can also be a major player having beaten home Doull in his most recent start — a horse that has since franked the form with a win over subsequent Derby Day winner Spacewalk in the Group 2 McCafe Sprint two weeks ago. Jewel Bay has won two races this prep, is rock hard fit, drops in weight and will give himself every chance on speed, but does come up against tougher rivals here.
Top selections:
1. Barber 3. Stanislaus 8. Revalene 4. Jewel Bay
RACE 5 – The Macca’s Run (2800m)
Happy to put Insulation on top here in a race that really doesn’t excite. Last start he was second behind Pesto at Caulfield over 2400m as a $1.80 favourite but was caught three-wide until the 1700m when he had to be restrained to the back of the field. He let down well but was inevitably too far back and couldn’t reel in the winner, who subsequently ran an unlucky seventh in the Bendigo Cup to Melbourne Cup starter Interpretation. Garachico meets both King’s Crossing and Commando Drift far better at the weights after their previous start in Geelong, and Mr Waterville has been in far tougher races than this and was recently solid when beaten under a length to the likes of Amade, Ashrun and Sir Lucan in the Geelong Cup.
Platinum Wolf’s first-up run was as eye-catching as it gets, held up until the 300m and making up significant ground to fall one stride short of a win at Murray Bridge. Second-up he ran a disappointing third as the favourite but boasts a turn of foot good enough to win this. Glint Of Silver should be able to dictate the speed from barrier 1, drops in class and gets Zac Purton in the saddle. He finished behind multiple Group 2 winner and Golden Eagle placegetter Pericles earlier in the preparation and should be able to give this race a shake. Paperboy was strong late in his last start at Moe and will be suited getting out to 1400m, while Love Tap won this race last year and with Blake Shinn on has the ability to go back-to-back.
Top selections:
9. Platinum Wolf 2. Glint Of Silver 7. Paperboy 1. Love Tap
RACE 7 – Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m)
Favourites don’t have the greatest record in our famous two-mile race, but Vauban, albeit priced to his best, is going to be very tough to beat, especially if he can replicate his overseas form. Trainer Willie Mullins and owner Rich Ricci have been targeting the Melbourne Cup from a long way out. The impressive international has outstanding Group 1 form over the jumps, while his 7.5-length win at Ascot (beating home stablemate and fellow contender Absurde) turned plenty of heads and showed he has plenty of gears to power through. He was also too tough for Valiant King at his last start on softer going. He’ll have a lot of tactical speed from gate 3, has world class jockey Ryan Moore in the saddle, and the distance is not an issue — tick tick tick.
He’s thereabouts in the market, but it still feels like Soulcombe is the forgotten horse in this race. Since his first-up win in the Heatherlie at Caulfield, the British import for Chris Waller has run behind Alligator Blood (1800m), Gold Trip (2000m), and Without A Fight (2400m) with a common theme letting him down each time – slow to begin. He missed the kick by four lengths in the Caulfield Cup and had far too much work to do before hitting the line strongly. From gate 4 in a Melbourne Cup, he risks being buried on the inside if his barrier manners repeat, but if he jumps and settles even just slightly closer, he’s in this up to his eyeballs. Blinkers come off and the master Joao Moreira jumps on, which certainly helps.
Without A Fight was fancied in this race 12 months ago but like most of last year’s imports, couldn’t handle the wet track. This time he gets the dry ground to suit, and he’s arguably an even better horse now, winning three of the four races he’s been in since last year’s race that stops the nation – two of those coming in the winter carnival in Queensland before a terrific Caulfield Cup win against key rivals. Mark Zahra chose to stay on rather than attempt back-to-back wins on Gold Trip which is a big call, but says a lot about his chances. Third-up and a major player.
Last year’s winner, Gold Trip is every chance of repeating the feat and becoming the first horse to win successive cups since the great Makybe Diva. He’s following the same path as last year with runs in the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate as tune-ups for his Grand Final, but is arguably going even better now, finishing third and a nifty fifth against the pattern in those races respectively. The knocks? He prefers to get his toe in the ground, but that doesn’t mean he won’t handle the firmer track, while no horse has carried 58.5kg in this race and won since Think Big in 1975. It’s a tough assignment, but he gets a good gate, one of the best jockeys in the business in James McDonald, and has the class.
I’m simply putting a line through Breakup’s plain Caulfield Cup run in which he ran eighth behind Without A Fight. He was 118 days between runs that day and was hugely underdone, so will take significant improvement into the Melbourne Cup. He has really strong staying form in Japan, much prefers the two miles, and will stay all day, although he’s going to do it tough from barrier 18 and lacks a turn of foot. French import Lastotchka brings a huge amount of X-factor into the race. Her best form is on wet tracks, most recently winning a Group 3 over 3100m, and she’s drawn a tough gate in 21. But she gets a big advantage at the weights and won’t know herself carrying just 51kgs, will roll forward and should stay.
Top selections:
5. Vauban 6. Soulcombe 3. Without A Fight 1. Gold Trip 4. Breakup 15. Lastotchka
Best roughies:
21. Future History 13. Okita Soushi
RACE 8 – Desirable Stakes (1400m)
Bizot has reeled off some impressive closing sectionals in her first two starts at Ballarat and her blistering turn of foot should hold her in good stead. Last start she beat home both Alectrona and Miss Roumbini who were both subsequent winners at their next starts. She’s way over the odds. Since winning a maiden in March this year, Kimochi has been a consistent placegetter in either Group 1 or 2 races so gets a better contest here off a let up. Commemorative made a huge impression winning on debut before taking on the mares at Randwick, where she raced keenly and ended up wide without cover before hitting the line strongly. She maps to get a sit behind the speed here, gets James McDonald back on and is a key winning hope.
Top selections:
13. Commemorative 3. Kimochi 17. Bizot 4. Facile
RACE 9 – Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m)
Madame Pommery is the top pick here. She comes through the Group 2 Tristarc at Caulfield where she was narrowly beaten by Wrote To Arataki. She was held up that day and didn’t get a run until the 150m. From barrier 15 if she can find cover from a three-wide line then she might be too strong for them at the end. Climbing Star was absolutely luckless at this track and distance two runs back, and she didn’t do too much wrong in the Moonga Stakes either, beaten 1.25 lengths to a better horse in Buffalo River. La Danseuse Rouge never runs a bad race, has an electric turn of foot and maps to get a really nice run.
Top selections:
1. Madame Pommery 12. Climbing Star 8. La Danseuse Rouge 2. Skew Wiff
RACE 10 – Paramount+ Trophy (1400m)
Chorlton Lane is coming into this fresh after a really consistent preparation and couldn’t have trialled better off a let up. He’s a really consistent runner who has done nothing wrong since coming here from the UK. He was a first up winner and recently finished behind Vienna Princess, who since franked the form with a win in the Silver Eagle. Robusto was luckless behind Much Much Better at Randwick in a race dominated by those on speed. He can improve second-up, the distance suits and if he can settle closer in transit he’s one that can flash home. Inver Park has also had excuses this prep, comes down in class and shouldn’t be ignored.
Top selections:
16. Chorlton Lane 14. Robusto 2. Inver Park 17. Tonneofgrit
The police report said Matusz’s mother found him in his home on Jan. 6 when she went to check on him. The report states that Matusz, who was 37, was on his back on a couch with a white substance in his mouth and aluminum foil, a lighter and a straw on the floor near his hand.
There were no apparent injuries, trauma or signs of foul play, according to the police report. But as part of the death investigation, Matusz’s body was taken to the medical examiner in Maricopa County.
Matusz, the No. 4 pick in the 2008 MLB draft, spent almost his entire eight-year career with the Orioles. He pitched in 279 games for Baltimore, making 68 starts.
He eventually became a reliever and was most known for his success against Hall of Famer David Ortiz, who went 4-for-29 (.138) with 13 strikeouts in his career against Matusz.
Matusz pitched in the 2012 and 2014 postseason for the Orioles and was traded to the Atlanta Braves in May 2016 and released a week later.
He signed with the Chicago Cubs, where he pitched in the minors except for one three-inning major league start on July 31, 2016.
The first 12-team College Football Playoff is down to the final two contenders: Notre Dame and Ohio State.
The seventh-seeded Fighting Irish and eighth-seeded Buckeyes will meet Jan. 20 at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the CFP National Championship Presented by AT&T. Whichever team wins will end a championship drought. Notre Dame aims for its first title since 1988. Ohio State’s lull isn’t nearly as long, as the Buckeyes won the first CFP championship a decade ago, but given how consistently elite they are, it seems like a while.
Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman and Ohio State’s Ryan Day are also aiming for their first championships as head coaches, and Freeman’s past will be in the spotlight. Freeman and the Irish lost to the Buckeyes and Day in each of the past two seasons. But after a masterful coaching job this season, Freeman now will face his alma mater — he was an All-Big Ten linebacker for Ohio State under coach Jim Tressel — with everything on the line. Day, meanwhile, can secure the loftiest goal for a team that fell short of earlier ones, but never stopped swinging.
Here’s your first look at the championship matchup and what to expect in the ATL. — Adam Rittenberg
When: Jan. 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET. TV: ESPN
What we learned in the semifinal: Notre Dame’s resilience and situational awareness/execution are undeniably its signature traits and could propel the team to a title. The Irish have overcome injuries all season and did so again against Penn State. They also erased two deficits and continued to hold the edge in the “middle eight” — the final four minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of the second half — while dominating third down on both sides of the ball. Notre Dame can rely on front men such as quarterback Riley Leonard, running back Jeremiyah Love and linebacker Jack Kiser, but also on backup QB Steve Angeli, wide receiver Jaden Greathouse and kicker Mitch Jeter. These Irish fight, and they’re very hard to knock out.
X factor: Greathouse entered Thursday with moderate numbers — 29 receptions, 359 yards, one touchdown — and had only three total catches for 14 yards in the first two CFP games. But he recorded career highs in both receptions (7) and receiving yards (105) and tied the score on a 54-yard touchdown with 4:38 to play. A Notre Dame offense looking for more from its wide receivers, especially downfield, could lean more on Greathouse, who exceeded his receptions total from the previous five games but might be finding his groove at the perfect time. He also came up huge in the clutch, recording all but six of his receiving yards in the second half.
How Notre Dame wins: The Irish won’t have the talent edge in Atlanta, partly because they’ve lost several stars to season-ending injuries, but they have the right traits to hang with any opponent. Notre Dame needs contributions in all three phases and must continue to sprinkle in downfield passes, an element offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock has pushed. And they finally did start seeing results against Penn State. The Irish likely can’t afford to lose the turnover margin, although they can help themselves by replicating their third-down brilliance — 11 of 17 conversions on offense, 3 of 11 conversions allowed on defense — from the Penn State win. — Rittenberg
What we learned in the semifinal: The Buckeyes have a defense with championship mettle, headlined by senior defensive end Jack Sawyer, who delivered one of the biggest defensive plays in Ohio State history. On fourth-and-goal with just over two minutes remaining, Sawyer sacked Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, forcing a fumble that he scooped up and raced 83 yards for a game-clinching touchdown, propelling Ohio State to the national title game. The Buckeyes weren’t perfect in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, and they struggled offensively for much of the night against a talented Texas defense. But Ohio State showed late why its defense is arguably the best in college football, too.
X factor: The play two snaps before the Sawyer scoop-and-score set the table. On second-and-goal from the Ohio State 1-yard line, unheralded senior safety Lathan Ransom dashed past incoming blockers and dropped Texas running back Quintrevion Wisner for a 7-yard loss. After an incomplete pass, the Longhorns were forced into desperation mode on fourth-and-goal down a touchdown with just over two minutes remaining. All-American safety Caleb Downs, who had an interception on Texas’ ensuing drive, rightfully gets all the headlines for the Ohio State secondary. But the Buckeyes have other veteran standouts such as Ransom throughout their defense.
How Ohio State wins: Texas took away Ohio State’s top offensive playmaker, true freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who had only one reception for 3 yards on three targets. As the first two playoff games underscored, the Buckeyes offense is at its best when Smith gets the ball early and often. Notre Dame is sure to emulate the Texas blueprint, positioning the defensive backs to challenge Smith. Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has to counter with a plan that finds ways to get the ball into Smith’s hands, no matter what the Fighting Irish do. — Jake Trotter
College football reporter; joined ESPN in 2008. Graduate of Northwestern University.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Of all the players gathered outside Notre Dame‘s locker room late Thursday night recapping a historic win, offensive lineman Charles Jagusah might have been the unlikeliest to be standing there.
Jagusah wasn’t supposed to be in uniform at Hard Rock Stadium, recounting his performance in Notre Dame’s 27-24 victory against Penn State in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl. After he tore a pectoral muscle early in training camp, his season had been declared over before it could truly begin. The injury to Jagusah, projected as the team’s starting left tackle, was Notre Dame’s first major health setback, but would be nowhere near its last.
The only way Jagusah would have a chance to contribute this season would be for Notre Dame to reach the CFP and make a deep run. For that to happen, the Irish would need to overcome a staggering amount of injuries, some season-ending, to players who, unlike Jagusah, would have no chance of returning. The injury wave didn’t spare the offense or defense, and it hit some of the team’s biggest stars as well as important role players.
“Losing-sleep injuries,” defensive coordinator Al Golden called them. “You’re talking about massive players.”
Most teams that make a run as deep as Notre Dame’s point to a decent-sized dose of good fortune. But when it came to injuries, the Irish had very little luck on their side. So how did they get all the way to the national championship game?
AFTER A TUESDAY practice in November, ahead of Notre Dame’s game with Army at Yankee Stadium, Golden knew he was seeing a first in his 30-year coaching career.
“I have not been a part of anything where we lost the caliber of guys that we’ve lost,” he told ESPN. “It just speaks to the leadership of Coach [Marcus] Freeman, the leadership of our captains and the unity of the group. Obviously it’s been next man up for quite some time.”
Every player and coach in college football cites a “next man up” mentality, recognizing its necessity and inevitability in a violent sport, but also making the reference with their fingers crossed. Those same coaches and players know that most injury-plagued teams are eventually sunk, unable to plug all the holes.
Jagusah was the first significant setback for Notre Dame, but others followed. The team responded to its Week 2 home loss to Northern Illinois by thrashing Purdue 66-7 in West Lafayette, but the victory came at a cost. Starting center Ashton Craig tore his left ACL, while Jordan Botelho, a starter at the vyper defensive end spot, suffered a right knee injury. They went out on consecutive series in the second quarter.
Boubacar Traore stepped up in Botelho’s absence and led Notre Dame in sacks (three) and tackles for loss (five) by the end of September. But the redshirt freshman injured his left knee in a Week 5 win over Louisville and was lost for the season.
The biggest injury loss came two weeks later, as cornerback Benjamin Morrison, a freshman All-America selection in 2022 who earned second-team AP All-America honors in 2023 and was a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award, sustained a hip injury against Stanford. He also needed surgery and would be out for the season.
“You’re talking about some of the best at their positions,” Golden said. “And then some of the younger guys, you don’t know how good they’re going to be, but they’re going to be good, Boubacar and obviously Jordan Botelho.”
As the injuries on defense piled up, linebacker Jack Kiser felt a mix of sympathy and resolve. Some units would melt down, or at least regress, after losing a playmaker like Morrison, but not Notre Dame.
“I don’t think that’s ever even been an option for this program,” Kiser said. “It’s always been, ‘Hey, we’re devastated if someone got an injury, but someone has an opportunity. Can you elevate this team and make this team better and take advantage of that opportunity?'”
The answer, repeatedly and resoundingly, has been yes. True freshman cornerback Leonard Moore, a three-star recruit, entered the lineup for Morrison and now leads the team in pass breakups, while adding two forced fumbles and two interceptions.
Junior Tuihalamaka and Donovan Hinish, who each had only 10 tackles in 2023, stepped into bigger roles on the line. They have combined for 68 tackles, 7.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
“There really wasn’t a point where someone went down, where I was like, ‘Ah, we’re done,'” standout safety Xavier Watts said. “I’ve got the confidence in all of my teammates.”
A Notre Dame defense hammered by injuries has been the biggest reason behind the team’s national title push. The Irish lead the nation in takeaways with 32 and rank second nationally in points allowed at 14.3 per game, trailing only Ohio State.
“Just press forward,” Golden said of the team’s philosophy. “Don’t bitch, don’t make excuses, and next guy, carry the flag.”
SHORTLY BEFORE SURGERY to repair his pectoral muscle, Jagusah met with Freeman, who told the second-year player that he could be available for a potential CFP run if Notre Dame made the field for the first time in four seasons.
“At first it kind of didn’t feel realistic, but as I got closer and closer, I just kept pushing, and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I can do this,'” Jagusah said. “It’s a credit to everybody for keeping me engaged.”
As the team played into mid-December, then late December, then early January, Jagusah’s chances to not just see the field but log meaningful snaps increased. There he was at the Orange Bowl, playing guard instead of tackle, filling in for injured starter Rocco Spindler. Like others had done in replacing those lost to injury, Jagusah stepped up, pulling to clear out defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton on quarterback Riley Leonard‘s touchdown run, and decleating Penn State safety Jaylen Reed on another pull.
“It shows you how much credit my teammates deserve,” Jagusah said. “In the grand scheme of things, I didn’t really do much today. They got us here. They did all the heavy lifting, everybody, all year long, grinding, and I get to reap the rewards.”
Jagusah’s preseason injury began what has been a season-long shuffle for Notre Dame’s offensive line. Craig started the first three games before his injury, which prompted Pat Coogan, who started throughout the 2023 season at left guard but entered this fall as a backup, to take over at center. At guard, Billy Schrauth has started games at both spots, with Spindler and Sam Pendleton also earning starts.
Notre Dame had stability at tackle with Aamil Wagner on the right side and Anthonie Knapp, a true freshman who emerged following Jagusah’s injury, on the left. Jagusah made his season debut on special teams against Georgia in the CFP quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl, then replaced Spindler against Penn State.
“Coach Freeman always says the future is uncertain, so you can’t worry about the future,” Jagusah said. “Sure, we’ve had weeks where a lot of guys are banged up and you’re thinking, ‘Oh, crap, how are we going to make this work?’ But it’s about preparing every single day. Whatever five guys we put out there, they’re all going to do great.”
Jagusah’s story underscores how Notre Dame’s roster depth and resilience have been tested, even during the CFP. Notre Dame’s first highlight came from Jeremiyah Love, who raced 98 yards to the end zone in a first-round game against Indiana. Love had injured his right knee in the regular-season finale at USC and had been battling an upper-respiratory bug in the days leading up to the Indiana contest. But he still delivered the longest run in CFP history.
The Irish beat Indiana 27-17, a score closer than the game actually was, but also lost defensive tackle Rylie Mills, their leader in sacks (7.5) and tackles for loss (8.5), to a season-ending knee injury. Mills had propped up a line that had lost Botelho and Traore, as well as starting tackle Howard Cross III, a second-team AP All-America selection in 2023, for most of November.
In the CFP semifinals, Notre Dame trailed Penn State 10-0 when Leonard’s head hit the turf, sending him to the injury tent to be evaluated for a potential concussion. Backup quarterback Steve Angeli, who hadn’t played outside of mop-up time all season, came in and hit his first five pass attempts, helping set up a field goal before halftime.
Love’s status for the semifinal had been in doubt after he aggravated his knee injury against Georgia and left the game in the third quarter. Despite wearing a brace, Love gave Notre Dame its first lead with one of the more iconic runs in recent school history, wrestling free of four Penn State defenders and reaching the ball across the goal line. He later showcased his signature hurdle in elevating over Penn State’s Kobe King.
Jeremiyah Love refuses to go down on a Notre Dame TD
Jeremiyah Love breaks multiple tackles to give Notre Dame a 17-10 lead over Penn State.
Notre Dame fittingly won the game on a field goal by Mitch Jeter, who played through a hip injury for much of the season, missed two attempts in the Northern Illinois loss and hit just 1 of 5 attempts in the final five regular-season games.
“I don’t think that me or this team would be where we are without all those trials and tribulations, injuries and sicknesses and all that type of stuff,” Love said. “Everybody on this team is relentless. [Me] playing through injury, playing when I was sick, anybody on this team will do that same thing because we love each other.”
EVERY TEAM EMPHASIZES relentlessness and resilience, and players stepping up for each other. But what separates the Irish, who have actually delivered on those promises, from teams that can’t follow through?
“It’s because we’ve been at the very bottom of the bowl,” Kiser said. “We’ve been as deep as you can be, and felt the biggest pain that a team could feel, and it brought us closer. We understand how to face adversity now because of it.”
Notre Dame’s loss to Northern Illinois was a setback that, during the four-team playoff era, almost certainly would have eliminated the Irish from consideration. The result also brought back memories of Freeman’s first season, which included home losses to Marshall and Stanford.
But rather than letting the NIU loss carry over, or fretting about what it could mean down the line, Notre Dame strung together wins, even while losing key players.
“You better live your life six inches in front of your face,” offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock said. “Coach Freeman brings it up a lot: Win the interval. Just win this interval — this, right here. We’ve been able to maintain that mentality, regardless of the amount of chaos that’s going around.”
In the afterglow of the Penn State victory, Golden said Notre Dame “needed every little bit of that mettle to win that game.” The Irish will need more, though, to beat an Ohio State team with a talent edge and few major injuries outside of its offensive line.
Knapp sustained a high ankle sprain against Penn State that will keep him out for the championship game. Spindler’s outlook is more promising but not fully known, Freeman said Sunday. Jagusah likely will have a significant role against Ohio State, perhaps at the position he was pegged to play back in the summer.
The Irish are used to playing without a full deck. Whoever takes the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium will, in their eyes, be enough to win a championship.
“This is a tough football team,” Denbrock said after the Penn State win, standing several feet from Jagusah. “They just keep playing. They don’t flinch, they don’t care what the circumstances are. God bless ’em, it’s fun to be a part of.”