Notre Dame’s impressive 2024-25 season came to a heartbreaking close with a 34-23 loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff National Championship. Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman, in his first title game appearance, reflected on the setback during a conversation with Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt.
Despite leading the program through adversity to its first title shot in more than a decade, Freeman admitted the defeat stung and reaffirmed his drive to elevate Notre Dame further.
Marcus Freeman Speaks Out After Notre Dame’s 34-23 Loss in National Championship
Freeman opened up about the hard truths learned in the spotlight of college football’s biggest stage.
In a conversation with Klatt, Freeman offered a detailed breakdown of the moments that defined both the loss and his own growth as a head coach.
“In those biggest games and those biggest moments, you’ve gotta play your best,” Freeman said. “You can’t make mistakes against a team like Ohio State. You think about that first drive on offense, I think it was a 19-play drive. We execute, we’re physical, and we go down and score.”
He recalled Notre Dame’s early success in the game, referencing that early scoring drive which showcased his team’s preparation and physicality. However, defensive lapses proved costly.
“Defensively, we didn’t play our best,” Freeman said. “Credit to Ohio State. They had some elite playmakers. They played really, really well. I wish we could go back and play our best. The outcomes might still be the same, but there were moments in that game where I thought that’s not how we play all year long.”
The loss forced Freeman to reflect on his own leadership.
“What didn’t I do to prepare them the right way for that opportunity?” he said. “Was the game too big? Did I make it too small?” Freeman also emphasized the importance of accountability at every level, adding, “I want everyone in our program to think that way.”
Despite trailing by as many as 21 points, Freeman praised the team’s effort.
“We fought until the very end,” he said. “We were down 14 at half, 21 [later on] and it was an eight-point game. This group isn’t going to quit. Ever.”
Freeman also revisited past setbacks that shaped his coaching philosophy. He pointed to Notre Dame’s 2022 Fiesta Bowl loss to Oklahoma State after leading by 21 points.
“Man, this is easy, the head coaching thing,” he told Klatt.
That belief, though, quickly changed. Notre Dame opened up the 2023 season going 4-0 before losing to Ohio State 17-14. The Fighting Irish also lost to Louisville and Clemson, finishing up at 10-3 overall.
“I had never won a game as a head coach, and you start losing a little bit of faith,” he said.
One of Freeman’s most difficult moments came during the 2024-25 season when Notre Dame, in front of a packed home crowd. lost 17-14 to underdog Northern Illinois. Freeman admitted that managing success was a lesson he had yet to learn.
“This is the first time that we had won that big game,” he said. “Then, you don’t prepare mentally and physically the right way. The football Gods taught us a great lesson.”
Freeman’s message to his team and fans is clear: The standard has been set, and the expectation is for the Fighting Irish to play their best when it matters most.
