When you can stand strong amid change, no amount of gusty wind can tumble you. That’s what has been Marcus Freeman’s mantra for Notre Dame football. As we all know, Pac-12 got unlucky to have been dissolved in 2024. Almost all the programs are now known by the numbers beside their names: Big Ten, Big 12, and so on. Yes, that’s how Fighting Irish football is standing up for their name. They are fighting by not getting linked to any conference. And of course, it now comes with a cost, as Freeman opened up about how it’s going to be a tough journey ahead for Notre Dame while dealing with an unfair disadvantage. 

Just when Pac-12 got dissolved, programs started running here and there looking to be linked with conferences. But Freeman’s Fighting Irish was far away from the rat race. Firstly, they didn’t need a conference as they had already inked a TV rights deal back in the 1990s. So as far as their game exposure was concerned, they were already sorted. Secondly, they also enjoy the privilege of picking up teams from different conferences and curating a special schedule only for themselves. But not everything is on the advantageous side here. On the Rich Eisen Show, Freeman exposed the bitter side of it. While the HC remains confident about their top four rank, when it comes to earning a bye, things might fall apart as he stated, “Could we be ranked in top four? Absolutely. Do we deserve a bye?”

Freeman continued answering his own question, “I think there’s some sacrifices that you make when you’re an independent football program, and that’s something we knew when this college football playoff format was created.” So now their fate depends on Sunday, December 8th games, as the selection committee will be announcing the official seedings after that. But no matter what the rankings are, Freeman can’t escape their poor fate. Since the Fighting Irish do not belong to any conference, they will be barred from getting the privilege of a bye.

Is the HC complaining? Not at all! “We knew going into the season if we were fortunate enough to make the playoffs we have to utilize week 13 as our bye week,” Freeman sounded all confident. As of now, the HC seems to be striking the right balance. 

Marcus Freeman’s comeback plan for the Fighting Irish 

It’s that time of the year again, folks! The programs are all set to bring in new recruits, sign them, and then shift back to the field. Since Notre Dame is a free bird, without a conference to dictate on them, Freeman and co. are now pretty much locked into a home game in the first round of the CFP. But isn’t the HC finding it difficult to prepare for the playoffs and signing day simultaneously?

Not at all! Instead, Freeman stated, “I think this is a great week for signing day. You try to eliminate distractions during the season.” So what’s their plan for the coming week? “But this is a perfect week for us to really sign these ‘25 guys, and really take care of all the things you tried to move to the back end during the season,” stated the HC.

So, it’s a time of refocusing for the Fighting Irish. After all, Marcus Freeman knows how they fell prey to a hate parade after losing against Northern Illinois at the beginning of this year. Now it’s the best opportunity for the HC to prove himself as the right man for this role, as Notre Dame locking the No.4 rank and No.5 or No.6 seed now looks like a done deal.