How Bout Them Irish
The 2024-2025 College Football season wrapped up over a week ago, but I have yet to give my proper tribute to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. That is something I must do.
The boys in South Bend had an incredible season. Of all the seasons of Notre Dame football I’ve witnessed over the years, this one brought me the most joy. After suffering an embarrassing loss to Northern Illinois in Week 2, the Fighting Irish became the laughingstock of college football. People questioned Riley Leonard, people questioned Marcus Freeman, and I was left to deal with the humiliation of losing to Northern Illinois—of all schools. A team that plays in the MAC. Yuck.
However, the Irish rebounded, even when everyone had written them off. They crushed Purdue and Miami (OH) and secured a critical win against Louisville, a team that held a 3-1 record at the time. From there, Notre Dame continued to dominate: a 51-14 blowout against a 6-1 Navy team, an absolute annihilation of rival Florida State (52-3 was the final score!), and an easy win over Virginia.
After the Virginia game, Notre Dame journeyed to the Big Apple to face an undefeated Army team—a game I attended. From the start, Army didn’t stand a chance. Running back Jeremiyah Love was unstoppable, rushing for 130 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Riley Leonard had a solid game, throwing for 148 yards and two touchdowns. The Irish trounced the Army 49-14. Watching that game with my family was an unforgettable experience.
Notre Dame finished the regular season 11-1, capping it off with a victory over USC (sorry, Decarlo). The game against Southern Cal was close—until it wasn’t. Back-to-back pick-sixes sealed a 49-35 Irish win, easily securing them a spot in the newly expanded 12-team playoff. And, of course, it made my good friend Matthew Decarlo very mad.
Despite earning a playoff berth, the Irish were still being written off. They breezed past Indiana in the first round, but their next opponent would be their toughest yet.
That opponent? The Georgia Bulldogs—a program that had established itself as one of college football’s titans after winning back-to-back national championships in 2022 and 2023. This was no easy task for Notre Dame. Nearly everyone, including myself, picked Georgia to win. I knew the Irish were good, but this was Georgia. Kirby Smart was the new Nick Saban. Notre Dame had suffered crushing playoff losses before—Alabama in 2021, and Clemson in 2018. This was going to be another one of those nights.
Only, it wasn’t.
Notre Dame’s defense played with remarkable grit and perseverance. Head coach Marcus Freeman outcoached Georgia’s Kirby Smart, using creative motioning and special teams trickery to keep the Bulldogs off balance. The Irish’s resilience was on full display, and their stunning victory over Georgia was followed by another win over Penn State on January 9th— the of my birthday.
Notre Dame’s victory against Penn State was another thrilling comeback. This time, they weren’t underdogs, but they still had to fight through adversity. The Irish were missing key starters, including wide receiver Beaux Collins, star cornerback Benjamin Morrison, and defensive lineman Rylie Mills—yet they still found a way to win. The game came down to a game-winning field goal by kicker Mitch Jeter, securing the Orange Bowl victory and sending the Irish to their first national championship appearance since 2013.
Although Notre Dame didn’t win it all, they should be incredibly proud.
Head coach Marcus Freeman has transformed the culture at Notre Dame—something desperately needed after Brian Kelly’s uninspiring tenure. Freeman was rightfully awarded both the George Munger College Coach of the Year Award and the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award.
The future is bright for the Irish. Running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price are returning next season, forming what could be the most lethal backfield in the country. Love is poised to be a Heisman candidate (I swear he will be). Notre Dame’s defense was elite, and many of its top defenders—Xavier Watts, Benjamin Morrison, and Rylie Mills—are heading to the NFL.
And then there’s Riley Leonard.
Despite falling short of a national title, Leonard cemented himself as a Notre Dame legend. He left everything he had on the field, just like every other Golden Domer this season. That kind of heart isn’t something you can coach. That’s just what it means to play for the great Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.
I can assure you one thing:
Notre Dame will be back.
They will return next season, hungrier and deadlier. They will be one of the best teams in college football. They will make it back to the 12-team playoff.
And, hopefully, this time, they will bring home the big one.
Until then, Go Fighting Irish!
