Notre Dame has officially found the face of their program for the near future. Today, the Irish reached a four-year extension that will keep Dick Corbett Head Football Coach Marcus Freeman in South Bend for six more seasons. Photo by The Irish Tribune Earlier tonight, Notre Dame and Marcus Freeman agreed on a four-year extension that will secure Freeman in South Bend for the next six years. Originally, Freeman was only under contract for two more seasons after inking a six-year deal when taking over for Brian Kelly at the end of the 2021 season. Since then, Marcus Freeman's growth as a head coach has been well-documented. There have been great highs in the memory of ranked wins against No. 4 Clemson in 2022 and No. 20 Texas A&M this year. Then, there were the heartbreaks of the Ohio State 2023 loss and the letdowns against Marshall and Northern Illinois. The learning curve for the first-time head coach has been steep, but it seems the Northern Illinois loss helped Freeman grow in the best possible way. After the Week 2 defeat, Notre Dame has come out as a completely different team, which is also symbolic of the way Freeman has held himself as well. In his weekly press conferences and sound bites before kick-off, he possessed a significantly more serious tone. He appeared more determined and unconcerned with his perception in the media. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here While Freeman's charisma has been key to recruiting and developing talent, his intense focus on opponents has driven the Fighting Irish's performance down the stretch. Is it too optimistic to believe Freeman is finding his stride as a head coach? While this might be a stretch, rumors of interest from the Chicago Bears and his alma mater Ohio State suggest otherwise. Knowing this, Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua took no chances in another team swooping in on his head coach. After the NIU loss, when many Notre Dame fans were up in arms about the program's direction, I maintained faith in the young head coach, "My thing for the people that want Freeman gone: the entire program is back to ground zero. Talk to any recruits, they mention their relationship with coach Freeman as a main reason why they want to be at Notre Dame. The return of starters like Jack Kiser, Xavier Watts, Howard Cross III, and Rylie Mills is because they trust in the system established by Freeman. You lose Freeman, you lose the newfound identity of Notre Dame Football. The Irish have evolved from being a program that had mediocre talent across the board, in which SEC teams and USC were bigger, faster, and simply more athletic. Freeman's effort in rebranding ND has narrowed the talent gap; and while I can't excuse his lack of performances on the field, I don't think we can be so quick to can him because we're then at ground zero and the last three years were all for naught." At the end of the day, I'm thrilled my emotion-filled rant was able to look like a good decision three months in the future. With the contract secured, all eyes are now on Freeman to build his legacy with a playoff victory this Friday. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Irish Hockey was swept this weekend by the top-15 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus. We have your recap here: Photo by The Irish Tribune The fifteenth-ranked Buckeyes entered the series 11-4-1 on the season, with notable victories at Wisconsin and versus Penn State.  Notre Dame entered amidst a disappointing 6-10-0 start, coming off a week-long bye after placing second in the 2024 Friendship Four held in Belfast, Northern Ireland.  You can find our recap of that event here . Friday Result: (1-2, Overtime Loss) A defensive battle occurred on Friday in Columbus. Irish goaltender Nicholas Kempf was outstanding all night, totaling 41 saves to keep Notre Dame in the contest.  Irish forward Danny Nelson got the scoring started with his seventh goal of the season  almost 17 minutes into the first period. The play started when Nelson won a draw in the OSU zone, resulting in an assist from defenseman Axel Kumlin direct ly in front of the net to Nelson to make it a 1-0 game. Kumlin earned his eighth assist of the season, and forward Cole Knuble also earned an assist on the go-ahead goal, his 11th of the year.  The scoreless second period was fast-paced and the defensive battle continued. Kempf made 18 saves in the period, keeping the Irish in the front as their offense struggled. Notre Dame mustered just five shots in the frame, failing to add to their lead. Both teams were unsuccessful on their lone power play attempts of the period, as the Irish took their 1-0 lead into the final twenty minutes. A mental lapse from the Irish was all that OSU needed to get back in the game. The Irish were assessed a two-minute minor for too many men on the ice about eight minutes into the final frame. Buckeye Davis Burnside buried his seventh goal of the year off a rebound about 20 seconds into the power play to even the game at 1-1 with under 12 minutes remaining. Notre Dame’s offense, again, struggled to get anything going as they added another five shots this period. Kempf saved 12/13 shots in the frame, helping to send the game to overtime. OSU needed less than two minutes to put the game away. Irish forward Blake Biondi almost had the game-winner himself, but his shot rang off the pipe. It was the Buckeyes’ Brent Johnson who snuck the game-winner just past Kempf to send the Buckeyes home happy.  Key Player Stats: Nicholas Kempf (ND): 41 saves, 2 goals allowed, 61:53 ice time Gunnarwolfe Fontaine (OSU): 2 assists, 2 shots, +1 Key Team Stats: Shots: OSU (43) - ND (19) Power Play Success: OSU (1-2) - ND (0-2) Faceoffs Won: ND (35) - OSU (19) Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Saturday Result: (1-3, Loss) Notre Dame’s offensive struggles continued on Saturday, especially early in the contest. Irish goaltender Owen Say played well throughout the game, finishing with 34 saves. As hinted at above, Notre Dame could not get anything going in the first period. They were outshot by the Buckeyes 16-2 in the first. Friday’s Buckeye hero, Brent Johnson, beat Say on a nice backhand shot with under 30 seconds remaining in the period to give OSU a 1-0 lead. The only other stoppage to occur in the frame is when the Irish forward Brennan Ali was assessed a minor penalty about halfway through the period that the Irish successfully killed off.  Notre Dame struck back about five minutes in to the second period when Danny Nelson added his team-leading eighth goal of the season . Th e goal resulted from a shot from Ali that was redirected off the glass behind the goalie, setting Nelson up for the easy finish. Ali and Kumlin were awarded assists on the game-tying score. OSU would respond with about four minutes remaining in the period to take a 2-1 lead. Buckeye Patrick Guzzo added his fourth goal of the season off a rebound that directed off Say. Again, the Irish offense struggled throughout this period, being outshot 13-6 in the frame.  A hard-fought and chippy third period from both squads occurred with OSU holding a one-goal lead. The Irish failed to connect on their only power play attempt of the game around five minutes into the third. A Notre Dame mistake would lead to the lone goal of the third period. With two and a half minutes remaining, Irish defenseman Paul Fischer was assessed a tripping penalty, essentially erasing any hope of a Notre Dame comeback. The Buckeyes made sure to make the Irish pay as Gunnarwolf Fontaine added his seventh goal of the season to extend the OSU lead to 3-1.  Goal-scorers Nelson and Guzzo shared an exchange with under 30 seconds remaining that resulted in the Irish being short-handed once again. No love was lost as the Buckeyes completed their sweep of the Irish. Notre Dame drops to 6-12-0 and 1-9-0 in Big Ten play. They will be back in action on January 3rd at iconic Wrigley Field versus Penn State as a part of ‘The Frozen Confines’ series. Key Players Stats: Danny Nelson (ND): 1 goal, 1 blocked shot, +1 Brent Johnson (OSU): 1 goal on 2 shots, 2 blocked shots Key Team Stats: Shots: OSU (37) - ND (15) Penalty Minutes: ND (10) - OSU (4) Faceoffs Won: OSU (33) - ND (30) Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Since its completion in 1930, Notre Dame Stadium has played host to some of the greatest matchups in the sport’s history, but this will be the very first time the Irish will play postseason ball on their own turf. The Program’s deep tradition will come face-to-face with the future of college football - and “The House That Rockne Built” will host what's sure to be another classic. Photo by The Irish Tribune With the 2024 regular season in the rearview and Conference Championships wrapped up, the College Football Playoff Committee has released their final round of rankings and the official 12-team bracket is set. In the first round of action, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will face the Indiana Hoosiers on Friday December 20th, with the winner advancing to face the Georgia Bulldogs on New Year's Day. By earning the 7th seed, the Irish secured home field advantage and made Notre Dame Stadium the stage for one of its most unique matchups in history. As we count the days until kickoff, let's take a look at some of the greatest wins ever seen at Notre Dame Stadium. In honor of the inaugural 12-team playoff, we’ve picked (in no particular order) 12 standout Irish home wins. With more than 110 years of football to consider, we’ve split this list into two eras and two parts: Part 1 will cover “The Classic Era” (1930-1989) and part two will cover “The Modern Era” (1990-2024). Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here "The Classic Era" (1930-1989) 1930: Notre Dame - Navy This game may not show up on a lot of lists about great Irish home wins, but this one is special. The Irish chose their 4th ever matchup with the Naval Academy as the official “dedication game” for the newly completed Notre Dame Stadium, and it was the beginning of a classic season in South Bend. Jumpin Joe Savoldi scored 3 of the 4 Irish touchdowns on the day, breaking things open in the 2nd quarter with a 23-yard reverse that made him the first player to score in stadium history. Navy was only able to muster a safety late in the 4th quarter following a punt that pinned the Irish offense deep. Notre Dame commanded the game for nearly the entire contest, and went on to win 26-2. After trouncing the Midshipmen, head coach Knute Rockne led the Irish on a perfect 10-0 campaign with wins over Pitt, Indiana, Northwestern, Army, and USC before earning the program’s 3rd National Title. Only 4 months after winning it all, Rockne died in a tragic plane crash over Kansas, and was immortalized as one of the greatest coaches in the history of the sport. Much like friend and contemporary Babe Ruth, Rockne’s team named their field in his honor - “The House That Rockne Built.” 1946: No. 2 Notre Dame - No. 16 USC 1946 was head coach Frank Leahy’s first season back in South Bend since he departed to serve in World War II, and the Irish were slated to face the Trojans in the season finale. After five straight wins to start the season, Notre Dame earned the No. 2 spot in the polls before facing off with then No. 1 Army. In what would go on to be called the “Game of the Century” the underdog Irish shocked the nation and held the Cadets to a 0-0 stalemate at Yankee Stadium to remain unbeaten. Notre Dame’s 1946 matchup with USC held a lot of significance. Leahy’s 1943 National Champion squad stayed undefeated until the final week of the season, but dropped their last game. This time around, the 7-0-1 Irish were looking to end their season unbeaten and the only thing in their way was No. 16 USC. The hype and stakes going into the matchup caused some jitters and mistakes early on, as both sides coughed up the ball and the Irish had several long drives fizzle out before they could secure any points. After a scoreless 1st quarter, Irish sophomore RB Coy McGee broke a 77-yard touchdown run to score the game’s first points early in the 2nd quarter. On their next possession, Notre Dame QB George Ratterman tossed a 22-yard pass over the middle to Leon Hart to go up two scores. The Trojans responded with a drive that took them into field goal territory before a pass interference call put them at Notre Dame’s goal line. Only a play later, USC scored on a QB sneak to narrow the Irish lead to 1 score as the game entered halftime. Neither team scored in the 3rd, but the 4th quarter opened with a length of the field Notre Dame drive. Ratterman tossed a regular looking screen pass to Floyd Simmons, who followed his blockers and took it 50 yards into Trojan territory. That's when the Irish offense pulled off a true stroke of mastery. Now at the 8 yard line, Ratterman lined the Irish up in the “T-formation” and in a move that fooled both the Trojan defense and the entire home crowd, faked a handoff to the fullback before seamlessly handing the ball off to McGee. Coy bounced outside to the right and slipped just out of reach of a diving Trojan defender, punching it in for his second score of the game. Up two scores in the 4th, Notre Dame cycled in its backups who scored once more to add insult to injury, and the Irish took home a dominant 26-6 win. It was their 4th straight win over USC, and became Notre Dame’s first unbeaten season in 5 years. The late-season win over a ranked rival pushed the Irish to a final record of 8-0-1, and helped them jump Army to take the No. 1 spot. The program earned its 5th National Title and Leahy’s 2nd, while leading the nation in both total offense and rushing yards per game, putting up 271 points over 9 games. The Irish defense never allowed more than 6 points in a single game, with an insane 5 shutouts, only 24 points surrendered all season, and the fewest yards allowed in the country. 1973: No. 8 Notre Dame - No. 6 USC At the start of 1973, all time great Irish head coach Ara Parseghian was entering his 10th season in South Bend with a spot at No. 8 in the polls, and was thirsty for one last shot at the big dance. He led his boys to 5 straight wins to open the season, but hadn’t faced their biggest challenge until game 6. That “challenge” was No. 5 USC, whose only blemish was a 7-7 tie in week 3 with then No. 8 Oklahoma. With both teams undefeated and in the top-10, there was a sense that this game could decide the national champion. Both offenses started slowly, but the Irish struck first about midway through the 1st quarter with a 32-yard field goal. USC responded with a 65-yard touchdown drive ending in a 1-yard rush by USC’s dynamic RB Anthony Davis. It gave the Trojans their first lead of the day as the 1st quarter came to a close 7-3 USC. The Irish knocked in another field goal, this time from 33-yards, to trim the deficit to 6-7. With under 2 minutes left in the 1st half, Irish QB Tom Clements led an 11-play 47-yard drive to score Notre Dame’s first touchdown of the day. With only 30 seconds left in the 2nd quarter, the Irish took the lead 13-7. The Irish defense forced a punt on USC’s first drive of the 2nd half, and the Irish began their first drive at their own 15. On the first play of the possession, Irish RB Eric Penick took a handoff around the left side and broke into the clear, flying past multiple Trojan defenders completely untouched. Penick broke a single tackle before completely separating for the score, an incredible 85-yard touchdown to put the Irish up 20-7. USC scored their first points of the 2nd half on the following drive, almost completely on the back of legendary USC and NFL wide receiver Lynn Swann. After QB Pat Haden tossed two big first down throws to Swann, the two connected on a third with a soaring 27-yard touchdown pass to the far right corner of the endzone, trimming the score to 20-14. Just before the end of the 3rd quarter, Irish kicker Bob Thomas knocked in his 3rd field goal of the day, giving Notre Dame some breathing room with a 23-14 lead. The 4th quarter came with steady rain, and the contest turned into a defensive showcase by Parseghian’s squad. The Irish defense held strong, and forced two straight Trojan fumbles to give their offense a chance to run out the clock. Unfortunately, USC managed to force Notre Dame’s first turnover of the day on a fumble by Tom Clements, and the Trojans got the ball back with just under 3 minutes left to play. The Irish defense again rose to the occasion, and intercepted a long ball from Haden to ice the game. The Irish then drove to the Trojan’s 20 yard line before they allowed time to expire. The fans rushed the field and surrounded an underdog Notre Dame team that looked to be on the road to a Title. The win fueled the Irish to a perfect 10-0 final record and thee No. 3 spot in the polls, earning them a matchup against Bear Bryant and the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide in the Sugar Bowl. In an all time classic matchup, Notre Dame narrowly edged out the Tide 24-23 to become No. 1 in the polls and earned the 1973 National Championship. It became the Program’s 9th National Title and would be both Parseghian’s 2nd and his last. He retired following the 1974 season a living legend. 1977: No. 11 Notre Dame - No. 5 USC 1977 saw things finally come together for Head Coach Dan Devine. Notre Dame started strong, with Montana now healthy and back in the driver’s seat, they opened the season with a solid win against No. 7 Pitt, taking the season opener 19-9. The good vibes wouldn’t last long, as the Irish fell the following week to unranked Ole Miss 13-20, dropping them from No. 3 to No. 11 in the polls. After three straight wins, the 4-1 and now No. 11 Irish hosted the 5-1 USC Trojans, who’d just moved up to the No. 5 spot in the polls. The underdog Irish warmed up in their traditional homefield Blue & Gold, but when they reentered the locker rooms before kickoff, Kerry green jerseys hung in each locker, birthing the notorious “Green Machine” moniker. The Irish defense stopped USC’s first drive of the contest near midfield, and forced a 52-yard field goal attempt that fell just short. With excellent starting field position, Montana and the Irish moved down the field methodically, ending in a FB dive for the score by Mitchell to score the game’s first points. On the ensuing drive, the Trojans got deep into Irish territory, but once again settled for a field goal attempt. Like their first try, USC missed the kick and left another 3 points on the board. The Irish failed to get anything going and were forced to punt it away, but got it back only a few plays later, as Irish DB Bergmeyer leapt in front of a USC deep ball and returned it 40 yards to midfield. The Irish offense again failed to make much progress, and were forced to settle for a field goal that ultimately fell short. After pinning the Irish offense inside their own 5-yard line on an excellent punt, USC forced a fumble that they scooped up for a quick touchdown to tie the game up at 7-7. Notre Dame regained the lead with back to back scores before the half, first on a 1-yard Montana rush after a USC fumble deep in their own territory, and second on a 13-yard pass from Montana to MacAfee. The Irish added a 2-point conversion after a muffed PAT was converted for a score, and went into halftime up 22-7. Irish defensive lineman Jay Case scored the first points of the 3rd quarter with a 30 yard scoop and score after Bob Golic blocked a USC punt. Notre Dame piled on with another Montana rushing score and another passing touchdown to MacAfee, extending their lead to 42-7 midway through the 4th. With the game now well out of hand, both teams traded garbage time scores before the Irish took the game 49-14. It would go down in Notre Dame history as “The Green Jersey Game.” After the win, the Irish assumed the No. 5 sport in the polls, and marched to the end of their season with 9 straight wins and a final 10-1 record. They earned a spot in the 1978 Cotton Bowl against the No. 1 Texas Longhorns and Heisman Trophy winner Earl Campbell. Like so many times that season, the Irish entered as underdogs but dominated the matchup on both sides. After forcing 5 Longhorns turnovers and rushing for 4 scores, Devine, Montana, and the Irish walked away with a dominant 38-10 win and the 1977 National Title. It was Notre Dame’s 10th Title - the first since 1973, and Devine’s one and only Championship as a coach. 1988: No. 13 Notre Dame - No. 9 Michigan Third year Head Coach Lou Holtz and the Irish welcomed the Bo Shembeckler led Michigan Wolverines to South Bend for the 1988 season opener. The heavyweight rivalry matchup earned top billing with an 8:00 PM night game broadcast and a sold out Notre Dame Stadium for the 107th time. The Irish got the ball first, but their drive stalled just on the other side of the 50 forcing them to punt. Michigan had even less luck on their opening series, going 3 & out before a punt of their own, but this one was a bit different. After receiving Michigan’s punt at the Irish 19, Ricky Watters exploded immediately, slicing through the dead middle of Michigan's defense completely untouched. As he emerged from the middle, Watters broke left, and Rocket Ismail provided the final block on Michigan’s punter to keep him in the clear. The 81-yard punt return touchdown shocked the Wolverines and put the Irish up 7-0. After another stop from the Irish defense, Tony Rice led the offense on a promising drive that ultimately stalled out around the Michigan 25, but they added another 3 points with a Reggie Ho field goal to put the Irish up 10-0. On the ensuing kickoff, the Wolverines return man fumbled around the 20 yard line following a big hit, and the Irish scooped it up. Despite beginning in the red zone, Notre Dame’s offense sputtered once again, largely due to QB Tony Rice’s passing woes, and they settled for another 3 points from Reggie Ho to go up 13-0. Michigan returned the following kickoff nearly 60 yards to the Notre Dame 38, sparking some life before halftime. The Wolverines scraped together a slow 38-yard 12-play drive that ended with a goal line pile-up ruled a touchdown, narrowing the score to 13-7. On the next drive, the Irish worked their way into Michigan territory before a freak deflected pass from Tony Rice ricocheted into the hands of the Wolverines for an interception, bringing Rice to 0-7 through the air. The first half ended on a Hail Mary from Tony Rice that fell incomplete as time expired, and the Irish entered the half up 1 score. After several empty possessions, Ricky Watters, the man responsible for Notre Dame’s only touchdown of the day, muffed a crucial punt return just as he was hit and gave UM the ball around the Irish 15. The Irish defense fought heroically and held the Wolverine’s to 4th & 1 from the 1-yard line, but Michigan’s QB Michael Taylor punched it in on a bootleg to take their first lead of the game, 14-13, with 4:44 left in the 3rd. Notre Dame responded with an 11-play drive that ended in Michigan’s redzone, but without a touchdown. Thankfully, “Mr. Dependable” Reggie Ho knocked in his 3rd FG on the day to put the Irish back up 16-14 with 14:17 left in the 4th. Michigan put together a nearly 10 minute drive that ended with kicker Mike Gillette knocking in a 49-yard field goal to put the Wolverines back up 17-16. The Irish began their final drive at their own 20 with just over 5 minutes left in the game. After a pass interference call pushed the Irish to the 35, Rice rolled left on an option and found daylight, dashing for 21 yards into Michigan territory. He then tossed a huge ball to Brooks who took it inside the Michigan 30 for another first down. On 3rd & 4 from the 19, Tony Rice kept the ball on an option play and dove for the 1st down marker, making it by mere inches to extend the drive. After shedding clock with another three plays, Lou Holtz and the Irish turned once again to kicker Reggie Ho on 4th & 3. The Irish kicker launched a 26 yarder through the uprights to go 4/4 on the day and retake the lead 19-17. With just under a minute left, Michigan returned the kickoff to their own 36 and began a march into FG territory. After an 8-play drive, Notre Dame’s defense held strong and forced 4th down around the Irish 35, bringing out Gillette to attempt a game winner. The kick fell short as the clock expired, and the Irish crowd engulfed the field in celebration. It was beginning of what many felt could be a march to a Championship. 1988: No. 4 Notre Dame - No. 1 Miami Notre Dame won 4 straight games after the Michigan game to become 5-0 and faced down yet another major clash in their path to a perfect season. On October 15th, Jimmy Johnson and the No. 1 Miami Hurricanes arrived in South Bend to face off against the No. 4 Fighting Irish. The reigning National Champions brought their hype and cockiness with them, but instead of intimidating Holtz and his squad, it fueled them. Just before kickoff, simmering tensions boiled over when both teams encountered one another in the tunnel, leading to an all-out brawl that only ended when police intervened. Miami’s opening drive ended with a fumble, allowing the Irish to strike first on a 12-play 75 yard touchdown drive. The Hurricanes responded quickly with a touchdown of their own, but an 80 yard drive ending with a Tony Rice touchdown pass put the Irish up once again. Only 4 plays later, Irish Safety Pat Terrell snagged a tipped ball and returned it 60 yards for a score, extending the Irish lead to 14. Shockingly, the Hurricanes scored two quick touchdowns in the final minutes of the 2nd quarter to even the score at 21-21 just before the half. Notre Dame’s defense came up big on Miami’s first play of the 3rd quarter, forcing a fumble to give the Irish offense a short field. They capitalized with a rushing touchdown and later added a Reggie Ho field goal to extend their lead to 10 as the 4th quarter began. A Miami field goal cut Notre Dame’s lead to 7 and a quick defensive stop gave them the ball back about halfway through the 4th. After marching deep into Irish territory, Miami’s drive culminated in a 4th and 7 red zone situation. They initially converted on a pass over the middle but controversially fumbled the ball on Notre Dame’s 1 yard line, just a yard shy of tying the game. That fumble would be Miami’s 7th turnover of the day. Shortly after the momentum swing, Tony Rice was stripped on Notre Dame’s 14, giving the Hurricanes yet another chance to decide the game. This time, Miami would capitalize on the turnover with a 4th down touchdown pass, drawing within a point of Notre Dame. Instead of kicking the extra point to tie, head coach Jimmy Johnson decided to go for the death blow and try for a 2-point conversion. Once again, Pat Terrell saved the day, knocking down a last ditch toss to the back corner of the end zone, sealing the win for the Irish and snapping Miami’s 36 game regular season win streak. The game became an instant classic, being dubbed “Catholics VS Convicts” and is still considered one of the greatest games in college football history. The 11-0 Irish earned a shot at the National Title, beating No. 3 West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl 34-21. This win gave Lou Holtz his first National Championship, the program’s 11th, and its first since 1978. Holtz joined Leahy, Parseghian, and Devine by winning it all in his 3rd season, and was named Coach of the Year by three different presenters. The 1988 team is still considered one of the greatest of all time, going undefeated, beating 10/12 opposing teams by double digits, and taking down the No. 2, No. 4, No. 5, and No. 7 ranked teams at season’s end. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

After dropping their week two matchup against Northern Illinois, many assumed the ceiling for Notre Dame's 2024 season had been significantly lowered, and who could fault them? It's not often that teams that lose at home as big favorites to opponents from a perceived "lesser" conference go on to make much noise on the national level. Marcus Freeman and his staff, however, did not buy into these talking points. Week after week, since that September stumble, they have found a way to steady the ship and keep all of the Irish's big picture hopes squarely in view. Fast forward to now, and Notre Dame is just days away from hosting a home playoff game for the first time in history. Still, there are those outside of South Bend that point to that loss, combined with Notre Dame's schedule, to try and diminish their accomplishments and question if they truly belong in the hunt for a National Championship. Photo by The Irish Tribune Ironically, Notre Dame's opponent for their first round matchup has faced some of that same criticism. Indiana University, who will travel 200 miles up the road on December 20th, finished the regular season 11-1 under first year coach Curt Cignetti. No one had this team pegged as a playoff contender coming into the year, and by all accounts their season should be considered a huge success, but there are still those that look at their schedule and say "yeah, but" . Indiana's lone loss came to Ohio State, one of the best teams in the country, and outside of them, they only faced three other teams that went on to become bowl eligible, which has led some to ask whether or not they are deserving of a shot to be crowned king when the dust of the regular season settled. For two teams that still have plenty of doubters, this is where the rubber meets the road. I turned on the film from some of Indiana's biggest games of the year, broke it all down, and came away with the following thoughts on where Notre Dame can be successful, where they need to be careful, and ultimately how this game can be won. Let's dive into it. When Notre Dame is on Offense: Perimeter blocking will be key. Indiana's boundary defenders play very aggressively. Notre Dame fans have become accustomed to seeing Jeremiyah Love and/or Jadarian Price breaking big runs on a weekly basis, and for that to happen in this game, the wide receivers will need to stay engaged and get hands on corners and safeties. Indiana's linebackers flow very fast off the snap, but sometimes too fast. This would be a great game to really utilize counter and misdirection runs. Their LB's are also much better against the run than they are in coverage, so I'd like to see Notre Dame pass on early downs against their base looks. In short yardage and goal to go situations, they play down hill and aggressive, looking to overload vs the run. Blocking from inline tight ends will be critical here, and using play-action could result in some big plays. Indiana likes to run stunts along their defensive line, so the offensive line needs to do a good job of communicating and passing off defenders to keep Riley Leonard upright. IU likes to do a lot of rotating at the snap. Riley Leonard needs to vary the snap count, play with good vision, and take advantage of check downs when necessary. This is not a game to force anything in the passing game because a turnover could be the difference. The cornerbacks for Indiana play a good amount of off coverage, and they tend to play with their hips open. Against this type of coverage/technique, short timing routes will be there to be had. If Leonard can be accurate, they will not need chunk plays through the air. Look for hitches, outs, and curls to be open. Sometimes taking what the defense gives you is the best offense. Players to Watch No. 8 CJ West - West is an absolute game changer along the defensive line. Plays with very good leverage and pad level, and the interior of the offensive line for the Irish will have their hands full getting him off his spot. He is a 315 pounds, but is still very quick and explosive. Notre Dame can not let him single handedly wreck their game plan. No. 12 Terry Jones Jr - Jones Jr lines mostly lines up as a nickel/rover and they love to blitz him. He has great timing off the snap and if he is hovering around the line of scrimmage, Riley Leonard will need to get eyes on him and check protection. If he comes on a free rush, he can absolutely force a fumble and change the game. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here When Notre Dame is on Defense: Indiana's running backs both have very good contact balance. Notre Dame needs to rally to the ball every single play and not get lackadaisical with their tackling because they are big plays waiting to happen. They have combined for 22 touchdowns on the year. Indiana utilizes a lot of RPO (run-pass options). The linebackers for the Irish will need to play with good eye discipline and not get drawn in too early, allowing receivers and tight ends to get behind them. Barring impossible weather conditions, IU is going to take their vertical shots. Their wide receivers run A LOT of double moves. Notre Dame has an ultra talented, but ultra young cornerback room. This will be the most meaningful game in most of their college careers to this point, and sometimes that adrenaline and excitement makes you press to make a play. They need to focus on being patient and not getting flat footed and jumping the first move. That would force them to reach and gets handsy and in what could be a tight game, chunk plays through penalty yardage could play a big factor in the outcome. This is a Howard Cross III and Rylie Mills game. The interior of IU's offensive line has had a hard time getting push vs the better defensive tackles they have faced this year. Pushing the pocket and getting the QB off his spot will always be a win for the defense, even if it does not result in a sack. Indiana's O-line in general has had some communication issues handling blitzes as well as stunts along the defensive line. When they played IU, Ohio State did a very good job of having linebackers and safeties trigger late, and the offensive line rarely even got a hand on them on their way to the QB. Both offensive tackles have struggled vs speed rushes at different points this year. IU's running backs also do a sub-par job in pass protection, so if Al Golden wanted a week to bring some extra heat, this is the one. This is the area I feel is the biggest mismatch in Notre Dame's favor. Players to Watch No. 13 Elijah Surrat - The James Madison transfer leads Indiana in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. He does a excellent job of high pointing the ball and is a very patient, crisp route runner. As mentioned above, he likes to utilize double moves so regardless of what DB is matched up with him, they can not be too eager or they run the risk of giving up a big play. No. 9 Kurtis Rourke - Rourke's first season in Bloomington was a very successful one. He has only thrown four interceptions on the year, and does a good job not putting the ball in harms way. He prefers to play from the pocket, but is more mobile than play calling would lead you to believe. They will never use him the way Notre Dame uses Riley Leonard, but in some critical spots this year (like closing out the game vs Michigan) they will call his number in the read option game, and it is something Notre Dame needs to be aware of. Additional Thoughts and Notes When I broke down the Ohio State game, it seemed to me like after some special teams blunders, the environment kind of got to them and that's when the game got out of control. That was their only big road game of the year. They got to face Michigan, Nebraska, and Washington all at home. Notre Dame, at times, has caught some flack for their home atmosphere not being as hostile as it could be. I think if they can recreate similar conditions to what OSU had, it could play a more pivotal role in the outcome than I would generally assign to it. Curt Cignetti has recently spoke about his displeasure in Indiana not getting to host a playoff game themselves, and I think he recognizes how much of a difference it can truly make when a team has to come into your territory and play against the 11 players on the field plus the 70-thousand in the stands. I began this article by touching on the brutal Northern Illinois loss. That game put Notre Dame down, but not for the count. The Fighting Irish have essentially been in the playoffs since September 7th. Every single week they knew what was at stake, and one more loss at any point would have evaporated their chances into thin air. Playing with that win or you're out mentality for the better part of three months has really fortified the team to the point that this game vs Indiana will not be a new feeling for them, and I think that's a huge advantage. They know what it is to have their back against the wall, and based off how Marcus Freeman got everyone to respond since week 2, it isn't crazy to assert that the NIU debacle made this team better in the long run. Notre Dame has a great opportunity in front of them. They undoubtedly deserve to be one of the 12 teams entering this expanded playoff, as do their opponents. For all intents and purposes, the slate has been wiped clean and everyone is 0-0 with the same goal in mind. I will save my final score prediction for later in the week, but I know I am looking forward to what this team can accomplish. It's been a grind of a season but, the grind does not stop here for the Fighting Irish. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

No. 8 Notre Dame defeated No. 2 UConn 79-68 at Purcell Pavilion due to all-around performances from stars Hannah Hidalgo and Liatu King. Photo by Notre Dame Athletics SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- For the third time in this early season, Notre Dame had the opportunity to play a top 5 ranked team in the nation, and the Irish have risen to each challenge. First it was the emphatic 74-61 road victory against JuJu Watkins and the No. 3 USC Trojans. Then after two setbacks in the Cayman Islands against TCU and Utah, the Irish returned to form at Purcell Pavilion against the then ranked No. 4 Texas, to win in overtime 80-70. When projected No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers and the No. 2 UConn Huskies came to South Bend, there was no added pressure for Niele Ivey and her squad. The Irish controlled the game all throughout, and after UConn cut the lead to one point late in the third quarter, Hannah Hidalgo hit a buzzer beating three that extended the Irish's lead. Hidalgo has earned the reputation of a big-game player early in her career, and the sophomore has done nothing but impress at every twist-and-turn. She finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, and three steals. In a marquee matchup, Hidalgo proved to be the best player in the nation, once again. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here To help Hidalgo in the scoring effort was Pitt transfer Liatu King, who added 16 points and 12 rebounds. Hildalgo's backcourt partner Olivia Miles added 15 points of her own, while playing through an ankle injury. Defensively, Sonia Citron put together another solid performance against one of the nation's best scorers, but Bueckers ended the game with an impressive 25 points. Outside of Bueckers, true freshman Sarah Strong was UConn's brightest star, as she navigated herself through foul trouble and still racked 14 points and 7 rebounds. In a game that will very much impact March Madness rankings later in the year, Notre Dame displayed once again that they are capable of being a No. 1 seeded team in the tournament. The Irish will enjoy this win, and then match-up against Eastern Michigan this Sunday. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish won another game to continue the momentum this Wednesday in a win over Dartmouth, 77-65. The Irish won their second game in a row. The Irish sit at 6-5 (1-0 in ACC play). Photo by Notre Dame Athletics Braeden Shrewsberry led the Irish in scoring with 22 points. Shrewsberry shot 8-14 from the field, and 4-9 from three. Tae Davis had 20 points, and Matt Allocco had 16 points. Davis shot 9-13 from the field. Allocco shot 6-10 from the field and 2-4 from three. The Irish took an early 11-6 lead at the 15:31 mark in the first half. Shrewsberry had the hot hand with five early points. The Irish shot 5-7 from the field at this point. Dartmouth had been shooting a lot of threes, and were 2-5 from beyond the arc. At the 10:02 mark, The Irish held onto the lead and led 17-13 after making several layups in a row, compounded by a strong defensive effort. Davis led the Irish with 6 points early, and he continued to drive the ball to the post. Heading into the half, Notre Dame was up 39-28. The Irish were shooting 63% from the field and 22.2% from three. Davis continued to lead the Irish in scoring with 15, followed by Shrewsberry with 10. Notre Dame did not have a great half, but maintained a double digit lead. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Shrewsberry and Davis both came out of the half carrying the momentum, and continued to score with ease. Notre Dame would start the half on a 6-0 run, now leading 45-28. Allocco made back-to-back threes to put the Irish Ahead 55-37 at the 15:03 mark. Dartmouth got hot and went on a 7-0 run to make it an eleven point game, 57-46, at the 11:18 mark. The Irish came out of the 12:00 media timeout hot, and took a 68-50 lead at the 7:19 mark. Notre Dame headed into the final media timeout at the 4:00 mark after Dartmouth made a couple of nice shots and had some defensive stops against the Irish, and Notre Dame maintained a lead at 72-58. Dartmouth would eventually have to play the foul game, and that allowed the Irish to pull away and win by twelve points, 77-65. Allocco and Shrewsberry both had strong second halves to lead the Irish to victory. The Irish were able to stay ahead most of the game, and win another to hopefully turn the ship around. Shrewsberry, Davis, and Allocco all had double figures for the Irish in the victory. Notre Dame shot the ball well from close range, as they finished 52.5% from the field. Three point shooting left something to be desired, however, as they could only manage to shoot 6/21. Regardless, Notre Dame earned a solid victory to stay on the right track, as they will look to continue the win streak at home against Le Moyne on Sunday at 6:00 PM EST on the ACC Network. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The Irish Men's Basketball team looks to get their record back above .500 during tonight's game versus Dartmouth. Photo by The Irish Tribune Notre Dame snapped their five-game losing streak this past Saturday in their first ACC matchup of the season against the Syracuse Orange. With just two out-of-conference games remaining on the schedule, the Irish must take care of business as they enter ACC play on Dec. 31. One of those two final meetings comes against the Dartmouth Big Green tonight, an opponent that has the same number of ACC wins as Notre Dame. Dartmouth, who picked up a road win against Boston College on Nov. 29, enters Purcell Pavilion with a 4-4 record after losing to the University of Illinois Chicago on Sunday. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here They are led by senior guard Ryan Cornish who has been with Dartmouth for all four years of his college career. He’s experiencing the best season of his career this season, averaging 14.3 points per game on 39.6% shooting, while grabbing 4.6 rebounds as well as three assists per game. Not only has Cornish scored in double figures in all but the first game of the season, but he’s also proven to be a pesky defender. The Potomac, Maryland native is averaging 2.3 steals per game and has collected eight in his last two games.   While Cornish is not the biggest threat from three-point territory, shooting just 3.8 threes per game, his 6’6” counterpart Cade Haskins is. The senior forward from Minneapolis, Minnesota, is averaging 8.5 three-point attempts per game and knocks down 41.2% of them. Haskins, like Cornish, has spent all four seasons with the Big Green, averaging 13.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. However, since knocking down 13 of his first 23 three-point attempts in the first two games of the season, Haskins has made just 15 of his last 45 attempts from deep, a much less desirable 33%.   As far as size goes, the Irish matchup well with Dartmouth with its tallest player standing at 6’8” in Brandon Mitchell-Day. The junior forward from St. Louis has played in seven games this season, averaging 10.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game. He has put up double figures in each of his last four games, as well as a nine-rebound performance against UIC on Sunday. Mitchell-Day has also proven to be a capable three-point shooter as well in his last three games, shooting 4-7 from distance.   Offensively, the Irish are coming off arguably their best offensive game since the loss of Markus Burton back on Nov. 26. Braden Shrewsberry stepped up in a big way tying his career-high with 25 points on 8-15 shooting at Syracuse. His six threes were massive for Notre Dame as it squeaked by with a five-point win. The sophomore guard from Granger, Indiana is now averaging 16.2 points per game on 42.6% shooting from the field, scoring in double digits in his last six, dating back to the start of Notre Dame’s five-game losing streak against Elon.   Junior forward Tae Davis, who will have an interesting matchup with Mitchell-Day, also settled in against Syracuse, putting up 15 points on 6-8 shooting. With a field goal percentage hovering above 50%, Davis has stepped up in a big way in the absence of Burton, averaging 16.6 points per game since he went down against Rutgers on Nov. 26. Being the tallest player on the floor against Dartmouth is going to play nicely into Davis’s game with his length and athleticism.   While Shrewsberry and Davis have performed well since the Burton injury, one player who needed to break out off the bench was junior guard J.R. Konieczny. The South Bend native showed promise versus Creighton in his 19 minutes of play, putting up eight points on 3-6 shooting, but followed it up with a 0-3 performance against Georgia on Dec. 3. However, Konieczny found a rhythm in his 29 minutes against Syracuse on Saturday, putting up a season-high 15 points on 6-12 shooting. These outings from Konieczny need to become a regular affair even after Burton returns to the team. Getting this kind of production off the bench is crucial for this team, especially in the ACC.   It'll be an extended break for the Irish after this one as they will have 11 days in between games as they will have one final non-conference meeting with the Le Moyne Dolphins on Dec. 22. As for Dartmouth, the Irish should handle business with their quickness and, for maybe the first time all season, height. Davis should settle in early and get a lot of opportunities around the rim that will prove to be too much for Big Green.   The Irish are favored by 17.5 points as the game will tip off from Purcell Pavilion at 7 p.m. on ESPN+. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The last we looked at the state of Notre Dame coaching was after week five of the regular season, following a Notre Dame home win against Louisville. Up to that point, there was still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the program as the Irish had yet to find their rhythm, but the Louisville game was certainly a step in the right direction. Since then, Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish have hit their stride, running the table en route to a College Football Playoff Appearance. Let's provide a much needed update. Photo by The Irish Tribune Head Coach - Marcus Freeman There is probably no one on the staff who deserves more credit than Marcus Freeman does when it comes to turning this ship around, and rightfully so. Following the NIU loss, there were many people calling for his job. Three months later, his name is being brought up in NFL coaching circles. “Sometimes you gotta lose to gain. Sometimes that’s life...I told our program, I told our players Monday after that game, I said, ‘This will be the greatest thing that ever happened to this football team if we learn from it and continue to use it. It would be the greatest thing that could happen to us.’ It was." Freeman nailed it with this quote. Since that loss, this team has played with a different attitude and energy, and that starts at the top with Freeman. To start the year, Freeman still had his usual charismatic and upbeat attitude. The loss changed all of that, though. That change can be seen on and off the field. Off the field, he approaches press conferences a lot differently. There wasn't nearly as much smiling, and he appeared a lot more focused on the task at hand on a week to week basis. He often talked about fixing the little things, playing a complete game, and striving for perfection. This mirrors his demeanor on the field. Freeman has become a lot more animated on the field when there is a missed assignment, bad penalty, or just poor play. He appears to be holding his players to a higher standard than he had before. Even in blowout wins, he still coaches his players hard until the final whistle. That attitude seems to have transferred over to the players based on their dominate play on the field. This new attitude has led this team to become a top five team in offensive and defensive scoring. Notre Dame is no longer a team that will overlook an opponent. The NIU loss appears to be the valuable lesson he needed to learn to become the coach many thought he could be. Although it was a rocky start, Freeman's ability to rally his players and raise the standard of play has pushed this team to a spot to host a home playoff game. He's already proved that he has what it takes to win a big game this season. Now we get to see if Freeman has this team emotionally mature enough to handle a playoff run. Overall, you have to be extremely impressed with the way the season ended if you're a Notre Dame fan. We've seen Marcus Freeman stumble before, but this time, the comeback felt deeply personal. The team improved drastically week by week to get to where they're at now, and the culture and mindset of the program is in one of the healthiest spots it has been in a very long time. Freeman has clearly elevated in year three. Let's see if he can finish the job. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Offensive Coordinator - Mike Denbrock Mike Denbrock was seen as the savior that the Notre Dame offense needed when the season started, but the glitz and glam quickly faded once the play on the field was far below the standard to start the year. This offense saw a lot of new pieces inserted when the season began, and the issues were glaring. The Irish offense ranked near the bottom of the country in nearly every offensive metric, and the results on the field reflected that. Since then, Mike Denbrock and the rest of the coaching staff have done a great job to right the ship. Riley Leonard was a huge topic of discussion in the first half of the season. There was not a lot of trust that he would be good enough to win this team games. Credit to the staff, Leonard and the offense have turned into a well-oiled machine that is now fourth in the country in scoring, averaging nearly 40 points per game. To compliment, they are one of the top teams in scoring differential. During this 11-game winning streak, the offense has been winning in convincing fashion, scoring over 40 points in six of their games. The passing game has seen steady progression throughout the year, although it's still far from the strength of the team. It hasn't always looked great, but it has proven to be serviceable when called upon. Mike Denbrock started this progression by slowing things down for Leonard, giving him high percentage throws to help build his confidence. Since the rocky start, Leonard has looked far more comfortable, isn't breaking the pocket unnecessarily, and has been hitting easy throws. All this without mentioning the use of his legs. Speaking of, this Irish rushing attack has been as explosive as any in the entire country, and ranks third in yards among power five schools. Mike Denbrock had perhaps some of the highest expectations of any Notre Dame staffer in his return to South Bend. Though it took some time, he has fleshed out an identity on offense that is playing (and scoring) at an elite level. There isn't another unit in the country that is more improved than this Notre Dame offense. Defensive Coordinator- Al Golden To put it quite simply, Al Golden was arguably the best defensive coordinator in the country entering the season, and nothing has changed. Golden's impressive defense has him in contention for the Broyles Award, given to the best coordinator in the country. Golden's complex and pressure-oriented defense has become a staple for Notre Dame football, and this year's unit is clearly his best yet. The defense has shown all year that it is one of the best units in the country, resulting in it becoming the third ranked scoring defense, with only 13.6 points allowed per game. The defense has been able to keep the team in every game this year, or just outright win it, allowing the offense a safety blanket to develop. They have held teams to 14 points or less nine times this year, something they did six times the year before. Notre Dame has leaned on this defense all year, and more often than not, they responded to the challenge. Against a dynamic USC team, where the defense had their worst game, they came up huge in the clutch with back-to-back pick sixes to seal a playoff appearance. Maybe the most impressive part of this defense, and a true testament to Golden's coaching acumen, is how they've been able to overcome injuries. This injury bug started with losing senior pass rusher Jordan Botelho for the year with a knee injury. The defensive line faced another injury when breakout star Boubacar Traore suffered a season-ending injury. The secondary wasn't immune to injuries either, as All-American cornerback Benjamin Morrison's season ended with a hip surgery. The defense also lost cornerback Jaden Mickey to the transfer portal, Howard Cross III missed a game with a sprained ankle, and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa has missed time with a knee injury. With all of these injuries, Golden has handled the change gracefully, and has kept this defense playing at an extremely high level. Having worked hard to develop players at depth positions, Notre Dame's defensive future is looking extremely bright. Notre Dame has won the turnover margin in every win this year, and has set a program record for pick-sixes. Altogether, this is one of the best defenses in the country and a lot can be attributed to Golden's elite coaching. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish will matchup in the inaugural extended college football playoff format against the in-state rival, No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers. Here are some initial thoughts for December 20's game. Photo by The Irish Tribune During the selection show this past Sunday, many people believed Notre Dame got the short end of the stick. While the Irish were IDLE during conference championship week, they saw the losers of both the SEC and BIG Ten championship game slide in front of them in the rankings. This left Notre Dame hosting a home playoff game against their in-state rival, the Indiana Hoosiers, who are accustomed to cold weather. One of the main perceived advantages of hosting a playoff game in South Bend is the weather. Typically, this would've been against a southern team unaccustomed to 20-degree weather and single-digit wind chills, but nonetheless, the Irish are instead matched up against a school just a three-hour drive away. Knowing this, here are five initial thoughts heading into Notre Dame's matchup against Indiana. Strength vs Strength This one is simple. Notre Dame likes to run the ball. Indiana ranks atop the nation in defending the run. The winner of this battle will likely be the victor in this game. Will the Notre Dame offensive line be able to push around Indiana's front seven? Can Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price get past the initial first wave of Hoosier defenders and break long runs? Indiana will more than likely stack the box and force Riley Leonard to beat their defense through the air. It should be interesting to see how much the weather affects each quarterback's ability to throw the football, because if neither team can have an aerial attack, the score might very well be a 13-7 game. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Pressuring Kurtis Rourke Kurtis Rourke, the Ohio transfer portal quarterback, is the engine that makes the Indiana Hoosiers offense go. Rourke is a pocket-passer who shows limited mobility inside the pocket. In the Hoosier's lone loss to Ohio State this season, the Buckeyes were most effective while getting to Rourke and pressuring him in the pocket. The Indiana offensive line is also the weakest facet of Curt Cignetti's offense, and Al Golden has two weeks to dial up exotic pressures to confuse the eyes of Rourke, and the protection from the offensive line. Indiana's offense also likes to run a significant amount of RPOs, so the linebacker play of Jack Kiser and Drayk Bowen will be significant in stopping the run on early downs. If the Irish can force Indiana into third and longs, and Al Golden can get creative on obvious passing downs, I like Notre Dame's chances in confusing the offensive line and speeding up the game through Rourke's lens. Keep the Stands Green Earlier today, the University of Notre Dame told its season ticket holders that the game has already been marked as a sell-out and all other tickets must be purchased through third-party sites. In years past, especially against schools with red in their colorway, Notre Dame stadium has been painted red. First, and the most notorious instance, against Georgia (2017), then against Cincinnati (2021), and finally, the most minimal occurrence, against Ohio State (2023). If weather conditions fail to offer a home-field advantage, Notre Dame Stadium must provide an energetic atmosphere to support the Irish. It is the first ever college football playoff game in this extended format. It is against an in-state rival. The Irish are primed for a lengthy championship run. Please Notre Dame fans, DO NOT SELL YOUR TICKETS TO THE OPPOSITION! Getting Healthy While Notre Dame is ineligible for a first-round bye in this extended playoff format, Notre Dame had their bye week this past week. The biggest importance during the bye week was getting healthy, and Marcus Freeman provided some good news during yesterday's press conference. Jeremiyah Love and Howard Cross III are expected to play, but freshman linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa is OUT. In a game that will be presumably won in the trenches, it is crucial that Cross will be available for the Fighting Irish. While Jadarian Price displayed RB1 potential against the Trojans, having Jeremiyah Love be available is the biggest luxury. As the heart and soul of Notre Dame's offense, Love's health will be a key storyline to watch. Along with these two updates, the two-week break should also be good for Mitch Jeter to get back to 100%. It remains unclear whether Jeter has fully recovered physically from his groin injury or if his struggles are simply mental. During conference championship week, the importance of a reliable kicker was on full display, from Texas' kicker missing a field goal that would've been the difference in the SEC Championship, and Clemson's kicker hitting a 56-yarder to punch their ticket into the CFP. While the Irish don't need Jeter to hit from 55+, they need Jeter's old reliable self, like when he was kicking for Shane Beamer and the South Carolina Gamecocks. One Game at a Time In the grand scheme of the playoffs, it's easy to look ahead. Notre Dame fans can already think about the possibilities of going up against a Carson Beck-less Georgia team, and then getting matched up against a very beatable Penn State or Boise State squad. Let's take this game-by-game. To get wrapped up in the national championship hype is inevitable, especially with this year's Notre Dame team, but it is even more special to enjoy the moment. There is the thrill of hosting a home playoff game in South Bend, with an opportunity to start this run off with a bang. There is also no doubt that everyone inside the Gug will take it game-by-game. Marcus Freeman, now, never lets his team look ahead or take an opponent for granted. But for the fans, enjoy the anticipation for this December 20 matchup, and don't get too strung up on looking ahead. And one final and repetitive thought: Do not sell your tickets to the Hoosiers. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

After fighting off USC in the coliseum, Notre Dame exorcised their early-season demons and punched their ticket to the College Football Playoff. What remained to be seen up until today was who their first round opponent would be. What team would be travelling to South Bend to take on the red hot Fighting Irish in mid-December? After a thrilling conference championship weekend, we finally have our answer. Photo by The Irish Tribune Prior to Saturday, there was optimism that Notre Dame could possibly overtake Penn State and earn the coveted five seed, which would give them a more favorable path heading into the group stage, drawing the at-large opponent. Many believed that the Nittany Lions would be no match for Dan Lanning's Oregon powerhouse, who were undefeated heading into the BIG 10 championship. Given James Franklin's history in these games, it wouldn't be stretch to assume that Penn State would lose this game. The biggest question was if Penn State could be competitive enough to maintain their edge over Notre Dame in the rankings. In the early going, it looked like the Ducks were getting ready to run away with the game. Penn State would fight back, closing Oregon's lead to 4 points at halftime. They would continue to fight back and forth, with the game fluctuating between one and two scores until the final drive. Down eight points, the Nittany Lions had the ball at midfield with a chance to tie the game in the final two minutes. A Drew Allar interception on a deep ball would seal the win for Oregon. The College Football Playoff Committee stated before conference championship weekend that they wouldn't be extremely keen on punishing teams for losing in the championship game, so it remained to be seen if Penn State would fall below the Irish when the final rankings were released. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here The other game with massive implications for Notre Dame's seeding took place in Atlanta, as Texas would rematch Georgia for the SEC title. During the first installment, it was all Dawgs, as the Longhorn offense could never seem to find their rhythm against an incredibly talented Georgia front seven. In order for Notre Dame to stay put where they were currently seeded, it seemed that Texas would need to win this game in order to keep Georgia from leapfrogging both teams, and have Texas push Notre Dame back further. Of course, there was also the possibility that Texas could lose and fall below the Irish, but given the committee's stance on not punishing losses in championship games, it was hard to believe that Notre Dame wouldn't be pushed back with a Longhorn loss. Despite Texas outgaining Georgia to the tune of over 200 yards in the first half, the Longhorns only led by three at the break. The Bulldogs would take a late game three point lead, which was answered in kind by a game tying field goal from the Longhorns to force overtime. In the end, Georgia would force a field goal and score on their first possession to win the game. As things stood last night, there appeared to be three possible outcomes for the Irish. They could earn the five seed, staying ahead of both Penn State and Texas who lost. They could earn the six seed, and stay ahead of one of these teams. Or, they could earn the seven seed, falling behind both programs. In the end, it would be the Longhorns who would grab the fifth seed, and Penn State who would grab the sixth seed - the committee kept their word. Notre Dame would secure the seventh seed, and have drawn the tenth seeded Indiana Hoosiers. The Hoosiers sit at 11-1, with their lone loss of the season against the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Irish might have hoped for a more geographically favorable matchup, however, the Hoosiers strength of schedule has been one of their biggest knocks this season. The game is set to take place over the weekend of December 20th in Notre Dame Stadium. The winner will advance to play the number two seeded Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl. We'd love to hear your thoughts! Did Notre Dame deserve to be ranked higher? Let us know. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish got back on track this Saturday in a win over Syracuse, 69-64. The Irish won their first ACC game after losing five games in a row. The Irish sit at 5-5 (1-0 in ACC play). Photo by Notre Dame Athletics Braeden Shrewsberry led the Irish in scoring with 25. Shrewsberry shot 8-15 from the field and 6-11 from three. Tae Davis and J.R. Koneiczny both had 15. Davis shot 6-8 from the field and 1-2 from three. Koneiczny shot 6-12 from the field and 1-2 from three while coming off the bench. Koneiczny brought a lot of energy off the bench and gave the Irish some big-time minutes after only averaging 7.6 minutes per game during the losing streak. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here The Irish took a quick 8-6 lead at the 15:53 mark in the first half. Davis made a layup to start the game followed by a Shrewsberry three-pointer that he got fouled on and he made the free throw to convert the four-point play and another Davis layup. At the 11:33 mark, The Irish held onto the lead and led 14-9 after shooting several times at the free-throw line and maintaining lots of pressure on defense. Heading into the half, Notre Dame was up 30-26. The Irish and Orange were very evenly matched. The Irish did not allow a single three-pointer this half and Syracuse ended the half with an air ball on a three-point attempt. The Irish and Orange both came out of the half shooting the ball well and trading baskets. The Irish led 36-34 at the 15:38 mark. Get recruiting, transfer portal, and other intel for 20% off with code "IRISH20" - Subscribe Here Notre Dame and Syracuse continued to trade baskets to make it a tie game, 45-45, at the 11:50 mark. Shrewsberry for the Irish and Jyare Davis for the Orange both had the hot hand. The Irish and Orange continued to go back and forth and the Irish took back a one point lead, 52-51, at the 7:59 mark. The Irish headed into the final media timeout at the 2:55 mark after Shrewsberry hit a big three-pointer for the Irish to go ahead 63-60. Syracuse would eventually have to play the foul game and the Irish pulled away to take a five-point lead and win the game, 69-64. Coach Shrewsberry needed a win after going almost three weeks without a win. “We needed to be in a close game and we needed to win a close game.” Coach Shrewsberry was glad to win a close game as he and the Irish have been on the losing end of multiple close games over the past couple of weeks. Notre Dame and Syracuse were back and forth the whole game. The Irish stayed tough and were able to snap a five-game losing streak with a 69-64 win. Shrewsberry, Davis, and Koenieczny all had double figures for the Irish in the victory. Notre Dame shot the ball well as they finished 44.9% from the field and 36.4% from three. Notre Dame got a much-needed win and they will look to win another one at home as they take on Dartmouth on Wednesday at 7:00 PM EST on ACC Extra/ESPN+. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame will enter ACC play on Saturday riding a five-game losing streak against the Syracuse Orange. The Irish, who have been without star player sophomore Markus Burton, have struggled on both sides of the ball, putting up just 48 points against the Georgia Bulldogs this past Tuesday during the ACC/SEC Challenge. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Since starting the season 4-0, the Irish have not been able to find a way to win including a home loss to Elon back on Nov. 22, going 0-3 in the inaugural Players Era Festival, and now a 21-point loss this past Tuesday.   One of the biggest issues for the Irish thus far is the inconsistent guard play. This is understandable due to the injury Burton sustained in the opening minutes against Rutgers on Nov. 26. However, Notre Dame has played in four games since, being outscored by a combined 37 points and averaging just 65.5 points per game over that span.   Senior point guard Matt Allocco was set to take the reigns as the leader for the Irish in Burton’s absence, but the production has not yet been there. After scoring 24 points against Rutgers, Allocco is averaging just 8.3 points per game on 33% shooting. On Tuesday against the Bulldogs, Allocco scored just five points and shot 2-8 from the field. For Notre Dame to compete, especially in the first ACC game of the season, Allocco is going to have to be more efficient from the field. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here   As far as guard play goes, sophomore Braden Shrewsberry is seemingly the only one that is willing to put up shots. He has put up a total of 72 shots in the last four games, shooting 34.7% in that timeframe. The shots will start falling for the Granger, Indiana native as he progresses through his second season in South Bend, but his confidence has not faltered.   On the other side of the ball, the Orange are led by a familiar face in J.J. Starling, who was a former member of the Notre Dame basketball squad for one season before Micah Shrewsberry took over as the Fighting Irish head coach. Now, in different colors, Starling is off to a tremendous start averaging 19.8 PPG on 46.8% shooting. Starling, a former five-star recruit from Baldwinsville, New York, had a 38-point performance earlier on in the year, and just recently put up 27 points against Texas Tech on Nov. 22.   The one spot the Irish can get Starling is his perimeter shooting which has lacked dating back to his days in South Bend. He’s a career 31.1% shooter from three-point land as he is putting up the lowest percentage of his collegiate career this season, shooting just 29% from distance. While he continues to give teams fits on offense, keeping Starling away from the basket is going to be the number one priority for Notre Dame.   Freshman Elijah Moore, who is shooting 40% from three, could be the biggest issue for the Irish. Against Georgia, senior guard Dakota Leffew was a massive problem from deep as he knocked down four threes in 25 minutes of play. Notre Dame needs to prove they can defend the three-point line, a department that has been rocky for the Irish thus far. Moore put up his best performances in his last two games, including a 24-point performance against the number three ranked Tennessee Volunteers on Tuesday. While Starling will be able to get downhill at a high rate, Moore is going to be the biggest problem for the Irish to deal with.   Notre Dame has also been up-and-down defending opposing team’s front courts through the first nine games of the season. Against Georgia, freshman forward Asa Newell was a massive part of the Bulldogs run to a massive lead in the first half, as he finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds.   Eddie Lampkin Jr. of Syracuse is going to be the big man down low to stop. Standing at 6’11”, Lampkin Jr. will make the Irish’s lives complicated if they let him get hot, which is why senior forward Nikita Konstantynovskyi could see a larger chunk of playing time on Saturday. Averaging just 8.3 minutes per game, Konstantynovskyi is the second tallest player on the roster at 6’10”. He, along with junior forward Kebba Njie and freshman forward Garrett Sundra, will be rotating heavily in the lineup to try and combat the paint.   Sundra has seen a significant jump in playing time in his last two games, playing 33 minutes combined. Against Georgia, he played 22 minutes, scoring five points and grabbing just two rebounds. As the Orange come to South Bend, Sundra’s production on the glass is going to have to take a step forward as he is the tallest member of the Irish standing at 6’11”.   It's the ACC opener and Notre Dame is pushing for fans to wear green for the noon tipoff. A team on a five-game losing streak needing a win in the worst way should not struggle to find motivation to play this game. Start early and keep Syracuse’s runs to a minimum. Thus far, allowing opposing teams to go on large runs has been the Achilles heel for the Irish. Despite the slow start, Notre Dame has a huge opportunity to start conference play undefeated. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun