No. 13 Notre Dame loses center Craig to knee injury as talks continue to extend Southern Cal series

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — No. 13 Notre Dame has lost starting center Ashton Craig for the rest of this season because of a knee injury, coach Marcus Freeman announced Monday as the team prepares for its annual rivalry with Southern California.

Craig suffered the injury during a 36-7 victory over N.C. State last weekend. Notre Dame (4-2) has won four straight, and Craig started each of those six games.

“Your thoughts go to the young man who worked so hard to get back from last year, to get himself back into the position he was in this year,” Freeman said. “He was playing extremely well for us, and just unfortunate for him. He’s in great spirits to get healed up and look forward to returning next year. He’ll be ready to go, he has the right mindset.”

The Fighting Irish face the 20th-ranked Trojans (5-1) on Saturday in the second-to-last game in the series under the current contract between the schools. Freeman said negotiations to extend the rivalry are ongoing.

Without Craig, Notre Dame is likely to start Joe Otting, a second-year player out of Topeka, Kansas. He was listed No. 2 behind Craig on the most recent depth chart. Freeman also mentioned Cam Herron, a first-year player from Indianapolis, as potentially helping fill the void.

Regardless, Freeman said he is confident they can find a solution. And he hopes the annual game with Southern California can remain a tradition for Notre Dame.

“Hopefully, we can continue this great rivalry," Freeman said. “Right now, obviously, my focus is this one that we have and the only one that's guaranteed and put everything into this one. But they know the head coach of this football program desires to continue this rivalry, and it's not just because I'm at Notre Dame. It's because I think it's great for college football.”

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