Notre Dame is on track to make history after defeating Penn State in the Orange Bowl Thursday night to advance to its first national championship game since the 2012 season, with hopes of winning its first title in nearly 40 years.
After the Fighting Irish’s win, however, head coach Marcus Freeman was asked by ESPN reporter Molly McGrath how much the win meant as it relates to him becoming the first black head coach to achieve a title game.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 9, 2025. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Photos)
Freeman, who fielded similar questions in the lead-up to this game, again focused the conversation on his team and the significance of their victory.
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“You know, I’ve said it before, I never want to take the spotlight away from the team. It’s an honor, and I hope all the coaches — minorities, black, Asian, white, it doesn’t matter — great people continue to get opportunities to lead young men in this way.”
He continued: “But this isn’t about me, it’s about us. And we want to celebrate what we’ve done because it’s something special.”
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman and the team sing to fans after winning the Orange Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal game against Penn State on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Some on social media took issue with the issue. Among these critics were NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre, who praised Freeman for his response.
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“Terrible question, but great response from Notre Dame head coach,” Favre wrote in a post on X. “Sports should bring people together, not divide them.”
Freeman has fielded similar questions about his race and the meaning of his achievements ever since defeat Georgia in the Sugar Bowl last week. Each time he has renewed focus on the results of the program.
“You’re grateful to be a part of this opportunity, and you’re grateful anytime your name is mentioned to be the first, but you don’t want to take away from how we got to this point, and I’m talking about your team and everyone who has put in the work to get your program to this point and those who have come before you,” he said during a press conference earlier this week.
“Again, this is not about me. This is not about one person. It takes a team, it takes a program, and it takes a lot of people committing to something bigger than themselves to put your team in a position to be here, I understand that and I’m very grateful for that,” he continued.
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman, left, greets a player before the Orange Bowl NCAA College Football Playoff semifinal game against Penn State on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Freeman added that his accomplishments creating more opportunities for the future generation of coaches is “fantastic,” but he added that “the focus on one person takes away from what really gives your program a chance to get here.”
The focus for Notre Dame will now be on Friday night’s Cotton Bowl Classic. Ohio State will take on Texas, and the winner will advance to the College Football Playoff national championship game to face Notre Dame on January 20.
