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Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST ) has been the latest retailer to offer affordable online healthcare visits, health checkups, as well as online mental health visits at reasonable rates. The giant retailer has partnered with Sesame to offer this new service. The warehouse club wants to expand its brand into the profitable health care sector. Sesame is a direct-to-consumer health care marketplace. Costco announced the new partnership before reporting its fourth quarter financial results.
The home page of Costco Pharmacy’s site lists the online services available. They include the following: Virtual primary care visits at $29 Health Checkups at $72 (includes a standard lab panel and a follow-up virtual consultancy with a provider) Online mental health visits at $79
In-person appointments and other Sesame services are also offered at a discount of 10 percent.
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There is a great demand for urgent health care access away from traditional hospitals. Many Americans are uninsured and many also have high-deductible plans. Giant retailers and pharmaceutical companies have stepped in to fill the gap between services required and those offered in traditional hospitals.
Sesame is a New York based startup that has secured funds from various large tech and other giants including Alphabet and others. It does not accept health insurance. So, those who are not insured and might prefer to pay cash find such services suitable for their needs. The health provider reportedly offers quality and convenience at affordable rates which is appreciated by consumers.
Sesame marketplace offers both virtual and in-person care. It has prime care doctors as well as nurse practitioners. It also has labs and imaging centers. Both Costco and Sesame said that they were expecting most of the appointments to be online but would automatically offer a 10 percent discount for in-person doctor’s appointment.
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Virtual health care providers fuel the booming industry. Other than Costco other major retailers such as Amazon with Amazon Clinic, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and others offer similar services.
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In a tragic tragedy that rocked a neighborhood and the entire U.S to its core, four innocent children were poisoned at the Divino Niño day care center. After one-year-old Nicholas Dominici passed away earlier this month after being exposed to fentanyl at the Divino Nio childcare facility, the tragedy caused a national uproar. Officials said that three other children, all under the age of three, were hospitalized with significant injuries that looked to be related to fentanyl intoxication.
According to the indictment, investigators discovered a kilogram of fentanyl placed on top of children’s playmats at the daycare facility, along with more suspected narcotics in covert floor traps. Additionally, they seized equipment like presses, stamps, grinders, and scales that investigators claimed were frequently used in the sale of drugs. According to DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, Paredes was thought to play an “instrumental role” in the alleged drug trafficking organization.
The incident led to the arrest of Renny Antonio Parra Paredes, who now faces a charge of conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death. This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the grave consequences that can result from illegal drug distribution and its impact on the lives of innocent children.
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The owner of the Divino Nio daycare center, Grei Mendez, 36, and her cousin-in-law, Carlisto Brito, 41, who rented a room from her, were both detained earlier this month.
The Divino Niño day care center, a place where parents entrusted the care and safety of their children, turned into a scene of horror on that fateful day. Four children, all under the age of five, ingested a dangerous narcotic substance while under the supervision of the day care staff. The children fell seriously ill, and despite the prompt response of medical professionals, one child tragically lost their life as a result of the poisoning.
New York City Police Department
Following the incident, a thorough investigation was launched by law enforcement agencies to determine the source of the toxic substance and those responsible. The investigation quickly led to the arrest of Renny Antonio Parra Paredes; a person allegedly involved in the distribution of narcotics. Evidence and witness statements pointed to his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute the substance that ultimately led to the poisoning of the children.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said, “I promised last week that we would continue to work to bring those involved in the child poisonings at Divino Niño day care to justice.” “Since then, this office and our law enforcement partners have worked around the clock to identify and apprehend additional individuals who are responsible. Today’s arrest is one more step toward obtaining justice for the child-victims of this heinous offense and their families.”
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Americans are once again threatened by the threat of political impasse and its far-reaching effects as the deadline for a potential government shutdown draws near. Sadly, in recent years, the possibility of a government shutdown has become a regular occurrence as a result of lawmakers’ inability to agree on critical budgetary concerns. Although the political squabbling in Washington, D.C., may seem far away to many people, a government shutdown can have a significant impact on American consumers nationwide.
Federal employees being furloughed is one of the shutdown’s most noticeable and immediate repercussions. There are hundreds of thousands of government employees on unpaid leave, including those who work for the IRS, national parks, and numerous regulatory bodies. As a result, these workers and their families may experience financial hardship as they struggle to fulfill their financial commitments in the absence of a consistent source of income.
Economic repercussions for consumers would be dire, especially in these inflationary economic conditions facing the United States.
The overall economy may be impacted by a government shutdown. The following are some potential effects on US consumers:
Delayed Tax Refunds: During a shutdown, the IRS may operate with limited staffing, leading to delays in processing tax returns and issuing refunds. This can be especially problematic for individuals relying on their tax refunds to cover essential expenses.
Mortgage and Loan Delays: Government-backed loans, such as those provided by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), may experience processing delays. This could impact homebuyers and individuals seeking loans for education or small businesses.
Reduced Consumer Protections: Regulatory agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) may operate with reduced staff, potentially affecting their ability to enforce consumer protection laws.
National Park Closures: National parks and museums often close during a government shutdown, affecting the travel and tourism industry. This can lead to lost revenue for businesses in areas dependent on tourism.
Food Assistance Programs: Programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) may face disruptions, impacting individuals and families who rely on government assistance for their food needs.
Immigration Services: Services related to immigration, including visa processing and citizenship applications, can be delayed, affecting immigrants and their families.
While the immediate consequences are felt by federal workers, the repercussions extend to consumers, businesses, and the broader economy.
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In a significant development that has the potential to shape the future of the entertainment industry, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and major film and television studios have reached a tentative deal. This agreement comes after months of negotiations, intense discussions, and the looming threat of a crippling strike. The deal, if ratified, promises to bring stability to the world of screenwriting while ensuring fair compensation for the creative minds behind our favorite films and television shows.
Both parties recognized the need to adapt to the changing landscape of content creation in the digital age. With streaming platforms gaining prominence and reshaping the industry, finding common ground was crucial.
The WGA said in an email Sunday to members, “What we have won in this contract – most particularly, everything we have gained since May 2nd – is due to the willingness of this membership to exercise its power, to demonstrate its solidarity, to walk side-by-side, to endure the pain and uncertainty of the past 146 days.” “It is the leverage generated by your strike, in concert with the extraordinary support of our union siblings, that finally brought the companies back to the table to make a deal.”
What’s on the table?
Residuals for writers in the streaming era have been adjusted, which is one of this agreement’s significant successes. Traditional television and film distribution has been disrupted by streaming services, but up until now, the writers’ remuneration system has not been appropriately adjusted. By more fairly compensating writers for their work on streaming platforms under the proposed agreement, compensation will
The agreement covers the subject of exclusivity and writing choices. In the past, writers have had difficulty pursuing new projects because of the restrictive contracts that studios have placed on them. By giving authors more latitude to explore different creative opportunities while also honoring the studios’ investment in their skills, the new agreement tries to find a compromise.
The agreement establishes mechanisms for resolving disputes between writers and studios more efficiently, reducing the need for costly and time-consuming legal battles.
Enhancements to health and pension benefits for writers are also part of the deal, ensuring that writers receive the support they need for their well-being and retirement.
If approved, this agreement will not just support writers but also a more varied, just, and energetic entertainment industry. The studios that produce the stories we love, and the creators of those stories benefit from it, guaranteeing that the show will really continue.
Since the middle of July, the SAG-AFTRA actors’ union, which represents over 160,000 actors, has also been on strike. According to analysts, both Hollywood strikes have had a significant and expensive national economic impact of more than $5 billion.
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A new ranking reveals California is in the bottom five worst states for veterans – based on access to support, employment opportunities, and state expenditures. Veteransnationwide are struggling with mental wellbeing, as data reveals one in threepatients are diagnosed with at least one mental health disorder.
Despite having one of the highest total veteran populations in the US, Texas ranks surprisingly low for veteran resources and services. Lewis Jassey, DO, Medical Director at Leafwell, outlinesthe benefits medical marijuana can provide for veterans struggling with PTSD.
A new study has revealed California is one of the five worst states for veteransbased on factors like population, financial and housing support, employment opportunities, and state expenditure.
The ranking, created by medical marijuana card experts at Leafwell, reveals the best and worst states for veterans, with the best states scoring high on a scale out of ten. The ranking considered factors such as disability compensation, availability of nursing homes, employment rates, state spending, and veteran population density.
For veterans who are looking for the best place to settle after serving, there are many factors to consider, especially for those struggling with their physical or mental wellbeing.
Mental health challenges are particularly prevalent among US veterans, with medical records revealing that one in three veterans (33%) are diagnosed with at least one mental health disorder, according to the United States Government’s National Library of Medicine.
To discover where offers the most support to struggling veterans, the ranking analyzed Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)data to establish which state has the highest proportion of veteran workers and state expenditure data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
This reveals state expenditure on vocational rehabilitation, education, and medical care, to identify where veteran care is invested. Finally, the ranking analyzed nursing home availability, scaled by population, to measure veterans’ access to retirement support.
The ranking revealed California is the fourth worst state for veterans, with a score of 1.5 out of 10. The state had the fourth lowest density of veterans within their population, with just 3,921 veterans per 100K. This is 33% less than the national average of 5871 veterans, meaning they have a much smaller veteran population compared to other states, once scaled to their large population.
The state that was named the worst for veterans was New York, with a score of 0.7 out of 10. The state scored shockingly low across the board, ranking in the bottom ten for every metric.
New Jersey came in second to last place with a low score of 1.1 out of 10. The state had the lowest scores across three of the metrics – disability compensation, veteran population, and state expenditure indicating there are some improvements that could be made to support their veterans better.
Illinois is the third worst state for veterans, with a score of 1.4 out of 10. Illinois scored as the third worst state for veteran disability compensation, with just 895 people per 100K receiving compensation – 46%, nearly half, less than the national average.
Massachusetts ranked as the fifth worst state for veterans, with a score of 1.7 out of 10. The state had the fifth lowest density of veterans within its population, with just 4,167 veterans per 100K. This is 29% less than the national average of 5871 veterans, meaning they have a much smaller veteran population compared to other states, once scaled to their large population.
The worst five states for veterans ranked
On the other end of the scale, Alaska ranked as the best state for veterans, with an overall suitability score of 8 out of 10. The state ranked the highest for veteran population density, reporting 8,836 veterans per 100k residents –51% higher than the national average.
This is beneficial as it ensures veterans can socialize with people of a similar background, providing a greater opportunity for peer support. It also increases the likelihood of the state investing in veteran care, as there’s a greater proportional demand for it.
Surprisingly, Texas ranked low for veteran suitability (38th out of the 50 states) despite having the second-highest number of veterans per state. This is because when scaled against their population, they don’t score as well for job opportunities or expenditure.
Texas scored in the bottom ten (9th) for the availability of veteran nursing homes per 100k residents. While they have more veteran-targeted nursing homes than any other area at 8, these don’t go too far when scaled against the state’s huge population.
Overall, Texas scored highly across all the metrics before scaling the data to their population, indicating they are focused on supporting their veterans but would benefit from increasing resources to match their incredibly large population and rank higher than other states.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the most generous state for expenditure on medical care was Wyoming, spending $70,986 per 100k, 94% higher than the national average of $36,533, indicating the state prioritizes healthcare funding for its veterans.
But this funding only goes so far, particularly when it comes to complex conditions like PTSD, which are difficult to manage. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reports that 2 in 10 (23%) veterans using VA Health Care have experienced PTSD at some point in their lives.
Speaking on the findings, Lewis Jassey, DO, Medical Director at Leafwell, says:“Deciding where to retire can be a difficultdecision for veterans, as they rely heavily on support. And while access to things like a medical marijuana card provides relief in managing PTSD, some states make it harder to receive this support than others, meaning improvements need to be made.
“PTSD has long been a pressing concern for veterans, and while research suggests that certain cannabis products, particularly those high in CBD, may help alleviate PTSD symptoms such as anxiety, flashbacks, irritability, and nightmares, support is still needed.The hope is that the states that perform poorly in the index reevaluate their provisions and adjust accordingly.”
Data was gathered from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Senior Veterans Service Alliance, the World Population Review, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the National Library of Medicine and the United States Census Bureau.
Methodology
Veteran Population: Measured the number of veterans per 100K residents in each state
Disability Compensation: Measured thetotal number of veterans receiving disability compensation in each state, scaled per 100K
Veteran Nursing Homes: Measured the number of veteran nursing homes in each state, per 100K
Veterans in the Workforce: Measured the proportion of the unemployed population and employed population that are veterans per state, scaled per 100K
State Expenditure on Veterans: Measured state expenditure on education, vocational rehabilitation, employment and medical care, scaled to 100K
Full state ranking
State
FINAL SCORE
Alaska
7.3
Wyoming
6.1
Virginia
6.0
Maine
5.6
Montana
5.4
South Dakota
5.3
West Virginia
5.2
Oklahoma
5.1
Nebraska
5.1
North Dakota
4.8
Hawaii
4.8
Alabama
4.7
Colorado
4.3
South Carolina
4.2
Missouri
4.2
Washington
4.0
New Mexico
3.9
North Carolina
3.9
New Hampshire
3.9
Florida
3.8
Kentucky
3.7
Maryland
3.7
Mississippi
3.6
Tennessee
3.5
Kansas
3.5
Idaho
3.5
Arizona
3.5
Georgia
3.5
Louisiana
3.5
Arkansas
3.5
Oregon
3.5
Nevada
3.5
Minnesota
3.4
Vermont
3.3
Delaware
3.1
Iowa
3.1
Ohio
3.1
Texas
3.0
Rhode Island
2.7
Indiana
2.7
Michigan
2.5
Pennsylvania
2.2
Wisconsin
2.2
Utah
2.2
Connecticut
1.9
Massachusetts
1.7
California
1.5
Illinois
1.4
New Jersey
1.1
New York
0.7
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CWEB Summarized Business Newsletter September 26, 2023
According to data released on Tuesday, rising gas costs and high interest rates contributed to more economic uncertainty and reduced consumer confidence in September. The latest figures on house sales and consumer confidence exacerbated concerns about the health of the U.S. economy, sending the S&P 500 to its lowest level in months on Tuesday.
Moody‘s, a credit rating organization, has weighed in on the ongoing budget standoff in the United States by stating that a government shutdown would be “credit negative” for the country’s sovereign rating. “While a short-lived shutdown would be unlikely to disrupt the economy, it would underscore the weakness of U.S. governance strength,” Moody’s warned, underlining the possibility of rising political polarization.
After reports that Hollywood’s authors and studios had reached a tentative agreement, shares of media companies saw a bid. The leaders of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) are attempting to have a three-year contract approved.
Nissan is the most recent automaker in Europe to announce ambitions to switch to all-electric vehicles. While the United Kingdom has delayed its prohibition on sales of new gasoline and diesel vehicles until 2035, the Japanese automaker will continue to work toward its original goal. At this time, Europe accounts for more than a third of its total global sales of over 1 million electric vehicles.
JPMorgan (JPM) said in a new research note released on Tuesday that DraftKings (DKNG) stock price hasn’t reflected its on-field success. The stock of the online gaming provider was raised from Neutral to Overweight by the investment bank.
The first is Amazon, which has committed up to $4 billion to Anthropic, a competitor to OpenAI in the field of artificial intelligence. About two years ago, the firm was established by former OpenAI research officials, and just lately, its artificial intelligence chatbot, Claude 2, was introduced to the public.
By teaming up with the DTC marketplace Sesame, Costco is making a push into the healthcare industry. Through its partnership with Sesame, the company will provide its members with affordable access to online health screenings, starting at just $29.
According to an email sent to customers on October 16, banking giant Chase will prohibit cryptocurrency-linked payments made with debit cards or outgoing bank transfers made to customers in the United Kingdom. According to the email, “if we think you’re making a payment related to crypto assets, we’ll decline it,” and consumers are free to use any other bank or supplier they like for cryptocurrency transactions.
According to Bloomberg, on Friday, Tinder unveiled Tinder Select, an invite-only service that costs $499 per month. The “most sought-after” users will be able to view the profiles of premium subscribers, and subscribers can initiate communication with those they haven’t been matched with. Tinder claims it only makes the service available to a small fraction of its “extremely active” customers and that registration for the service will be rolling.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Rite Aid, a pharmacy chain, would be closing hundreds of shops around the country to resolve the company’s debt crisis, which has caused the businesses to enter bankruptcy.
Liberty Media, owned by billionaire John Malone, is in talks to merge with the rest of the radio corporation, including its interest in SiriusXM, to form a publicly traded enterprise under Malone’s management.
Spotify (SPOT) is using OpenAI’s recently launched speech generating technology to appeal to a wider demographic and generate more cash. The new voice cloning tool has the potential to affect numerous sectors and break through barriers of the spoken word on a global scale, whereas Spotify’s previous AI efforts focused more on personalization technology like AI DJ.
Stock picture, editorial photo, video, and audio giant Getty Images has just released a generative AI art tool that it says is “commercially safer” than competing options. Getty Images’ technology is driven by an Nvidia AI model and is called Generative AI.
SunStream USA’s structure could eventually allow Sundial (SNDL) to comply with all federal and state laws in the United States while also equitizing certain senior credits made by SunStream affiliates undergoing restructurings. Nasdaq, Sundial’s (SNDL) mandatory listing authority, will assess the SunStream USA structure before it is put into action.
Earnings reports from Costco (COST), Cintas (CTAS), and United Natural Foods (UNFI) are scheduled for Tuesday, September 26.
Paychex (PAYX), Micron Technology (MU), and Jefferies Financial Group (JEF) will all be in the spotlight on earnings day, Wednesday, September 27.
Thursday, September 28th, earnings reports from Accenture (ACN), Nike (NKE), CarMax (KMX), and Jabil (JBL) will be highlighted.
Focus on Carnival (CCL) earnings for Friday September 29.
An Indiana infant who was badly neglected by his parents and a family member, in Evansville and was bitten by rodents has been released from a hospital in Indiana and placed under foster care. The six-month old infant had been airlifted to Indianapolis after the gruesome incident and three people including his parents and aunt have been arrested.
On Friday morning, police said that the young victim had been released. On Friday, his parents and aunt also appeared in court for initial hearings. Father David Schonabaum faces three counts of neglect of a dependent/child violation. His wife Angel Schonabaum faces five counts and they are held on a $10,000 bond. Live-in aunt Delania Thurman has been held on a $2,500 bond.
Evansville Police Department Sergeant Anna Gray said on Friday that the parents gave an excuse for the infant’s neglect saying that “they did not hear the child cry.”
Father David had called 911 at 6.30 a.m. when he saw the bleeding infant and reportedly said that he was not sure if his son was alive. The infant was bleeding profusely and had about 50 bites all over his body.
Gray also said that the home had been “overwhelmed with rodents”, and that the victim’s room was filled with clutter, trash, and discarded food items.
The affidavit from the police described the squalor at the home in Evansville, a town near Kentucky. It included details such as rodent footprints left in blood and rodent fecal matter. Many items in the room seemed to have been chewed on by rodents. They also said that there was a foul smell coming from the kitchen and basement.
David and Angel already had a case open, in Indiana when one of their children had been injured due to “lack of supervision.”
Five children, including the victim have lived in the home, two of whom were the aunt’s while three were the parents’ kids. All the kids are now in foster care.
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Amazon (AMZN) announced on Monday that it will infuse $4 billion in cash into AI startup Anthropic. The e-commerce giant said that it would acquire a minority stake in the startup. Amazon is looking to make a strong mark in the AI space as its competitors such as Microsoft and Alphabet, the parent of Google, have already invested considerable cash in artificial intelligence (AI).
Amazon and Anthropic said that their strategic partnership would advance generative artificial intelligence and that the AI startup has selected Amazon Web Service (AWS) as its main cloud provider. AWS customers will get early access to unique features developed by the startup that can be used to customize models and to fine tune capabilities.
Custom AWS-designed semiconductors will be used by Anthropic to train the foundational models that power its AI applications. Nvidia has been the market leader with its key product being a semiconductor called a graphic processing unit (GPU). It is used to train large AI models including Open AI’s ChatGPT. AWS’ semiconductors are expected to prove that there are alternative chips that can be used for AI.
Customers who use AWS can use Amazon Bedrock to build Anthropic AI models. The Amazon Bedrock service allows generative AI applications to be built on the cloud through existing models instead of training their own models.
Amazon is looking to become the be-all and end-all of artificial intelligence. It is designing its own AI chips to train big AI models. It provides Bedrock service for its customers to design their individual generative AI applications with the help of existing models, on its cloud. It also sells its own AI applications.
AI startup Anthropic was founded about two years by research executives who were formerly working at OpenAI. Sam Altman led OpenAI, the pioneer artificial intelligence firm that built ChatGPT. Anthropic recently released its AI assistant called Claude 2.
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No. 5 Southern California is well-rested and looking to stay unbeaten Saturday when it visits Arizona State for a Pac-12 contest in Tempe, Ariz.
The Trojans (3-0, 1-0 Pac-12) are coming off a bye week. USC opened conference play on Sept. 9 with a 56-10 rout of Stanford, the Trojans’ third straight game with at least 56 points.
USC beat San Jose State on Aug. 26, 56-28, and Nevada on Sept. 2, 66-14. All three contests were at home.
“Good teams are going to win most of their games at home, but the big difference between good and elite is the elite find ways to win on the road,” Trojans coach Lincoln Riley said Monday.
USC went 7-0 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum a season ago — including a 42-25 defeat of Arizona State — but finished 4-3 away from it. Saturday’s trip to Tempe marks the Trojans’ first game away from L.A. since dropping back-to-back neutral-site games to Utah and Tulane in last year’s Pac-12 Championship and Cotton Bowl.
Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams is 55-of-70 passing for 878 yards with 12 touchdowns and no interceptions through the first three games. Williams is one of five Trojans with a rushing touchdown on the season, paced by Austin Jones with three.
Jones is also one of three USC running backs with at least 106 yards, joining team leader MarShawn Lloyd at 195 yards and Quinten Joyner with 113.
While USC boasts the nation’s highest-scoring offense to date at 59.3 points per game, Arizona State (1-2, 0-0) comes in with the lowest offensive output of any Power 5 team and the third-lowest in the FBS with 13.0 points per game. Only Arkansas State (11.3) and FBS newcomer Sam Houston (1.5) have struggled more to score.
The offensive woes have been in part due to a revolving door at quarterback. Freshman Jaden Rashada, who threw for two touchdowns in a 24-21 win over Southern Utah, is out 4-6 weeks with an unspecified injury.
Trenton Bourguet started last week’s 29-0 loss to Fresno State but exited early due to a foot injury, while backup Drew Pyne sustained a leg injury after throwing a pair of interceptions.
ESPN reported Friday that Rashada and Bourguet have been ruled out and Pyne, the Notre Dame transfer, will make his first start for the Sun Devils. Pyne completed 23 of 26 passes for 318 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in the Fighting Irish’s 38-27 loss at USC last November.
Arizona State begins its league slate with USC’s visit. The Sun Devils are at home for a fourth consecutive week, but the confines of Sun Devil Stadium have been less than friendly the past two outings.
Arizona State dropped a 27-15 decision to Oklahoma State — the Sun Devils’ future Big 12 counterpart — on Sept. 9, before last week’s shutout loss.
After the slow start, first-year Sun Devils coach Kenny Dillingham was asked Monday about being heavy underdogs against USC.
“It shouldn’t affect our players. Who cares?” he said. “Go play the game. Go to work this week, and play the football game to win the football game. It’s very simple. I think that’s always going to be our focus.”
Notre Dame signal-caller Sam Hartman will make his 50th career start on Saturday when the No. 9 Fighting Irish host No. 6 Ohio State, quarterbacked by junior Kyle McCord in his fifth start.
That disparity in experience may come into play when the heavyweight programs renew their rivalry in South Bend, Ind.
“I think it’s a factor,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said. “Kyle’s been around. He hasn’t played a whole bunch of football, but he has been around. He’s seen it. He’s older and more mature than maybe a freshman who’s coming in in the same situation, but I think experience does play a part of it.
“It’s not the No. 1 thing overall. There’s a lot of other things that come with it, but I do think it’s significant.”
Hartman has thrown for 13 touchdowns with no interceptions and has Notre Dame (4-0) rolling, opening the season with four straight 40-point games for the first time since 1900 when the opponents were Goshen (55 points) and Englewood (68) high schools, a South Howard Park club team (64) and the University of Cincinnati (58).
The Irish have never scored 40-plus in each of their first five games.
Hartman, who played the previous five seasons at Wake Forest, embraces the challenge of going against an Ohio State defense that has allowed only 20 points this season.
“It’s a clash of two football greats that, growing up, you think about and look at those games of Ohio State and all the other big ones that you’d be like, ‘That would be a cool game to play in,'” Hartman said. “It’s exciting. It is a big game. To shy away from that is foolish, but like every week, it’s about us executing at the highest level.”
Ohio State (3-0) struggled to find consistency on offense due to McCord — who started one game as a freshman in 2021 — sharing snaps with Devin Brown the first two games. Although McCord started both, it wasn’t until four days before the third game that Day officially named him the starter.
McCord responded with his best game of the season against Western Kentucky, going 19-for-23 for 318 yards and three touchdowns, including a 75-yarder to Marvin Harrison Jr.
“You’ve seen their offense kind of evolve over the first three games,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said. “It’s explosive, you see a lot of tempo. I think I’ve seen more tempo recently.”
The Ohio State defense prepped for Hartman by limiting Western Kentucky’s Austin Reed, the FBS active career leader in passing yards, to 207 yards with one TD and one interception.
Hartman will present more of a test. He is tied for seventh with former Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones on the FBS all-time list with 123 touchdown passes.
“You can tell Hartman has been around, a veteran,” Day said. “Accurate, very intelligent. A lot of good attributes for a quarterback. Won a lot of games at Wake Forest.”
Hartman has shown the ability for big plays, too, with touchdown throws of 76 and 75 yards against Central Michigan on Saturday.
Ohio State leads the series 5-2 with five consecutive wins since 1995. Notre Dame’s last win was 7-2 in South Bend in 1936. The Buckeyes won 21-10 in Columbus last season.
