Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame Now Holds Two 8-Figure Viewership Records as ESPN Makes Big Announcement

Marcus Freeman‘s Notre Dame opened 2025 on fire. A hostile Hard Rock Stadium. A top-10 Miami squad. And the revival of the storied Catholics vs. Convicts rivalry. Well, the last trip here? A 41-8 nightmare in 2017. But this time, it was different. A slugfest. A game of swings. The Irish went toe-to-toe until the final minutes, but the Hurricanes won the battle where it mattered most; the trenches. Following that, Miami edged it 27-24. But for Irish, the four-man rush never broke through. And the run game never hit its stride. So, the Irish left South Florida with more questions than answers. Now, the Irish may have dropped the season opener in Miami, but they scored big off the field, setting a new viewership record.

Look, “Culture war” might sound worn out today. But back then? Notre Dame and Miami wrote the original script. No rivalry carried more fire, more stereotypes, and more bite. It was polished tradition colliding with raw swagger. And at the top of CFB, nothing matched the stakes or the hostility. “Those were awesome, awesome experiences,” recalled Hurricanes HC Mario Cristobal, who battled in the trenches for Miami from 1989 to 1992. And now, decades later, the magic still hits. The rivalry pulls record audiences. Given that, Notre Dame now owns not one, but two nine-figure viewership milestones, capped by ESPN’s big announcement.

On September 3, ESPN PR dropped the numbers. Sunday night’s primetime clash between Notre Dame and Miami pulled in 10.8 million viewers. That’s ABC’s second-best Sunday opener ever, behind only the 2016 Irish-Texas classic (that peaked with 11.8 million viewers). And Notre Dame insider Tyler Horka put it best, writing, “If it’s Notre Dame, people are watching.” But that’s not all, Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame didn’t just make noise on the field; they shattered screens. An 8.6 million average made it ABC’s best opening weekend ever, and 4 million more delivered ESPN’s strongest Week 1 on record. So, two massive milestones, and one program driving the numbers. Why not?

Here’s the thing: Miami and Notre Dame have met 27 times. The Irish dominated early, winning 12 of the first 14. But from 1987 to 1990, the rivalry reached its peak. Every matchup was top-10. Every clash carried title stakes. Most interestingly, in three straight years, the winner went on to claim the national crown. So, “This rivalry is good vs. evil,” said ex-Hurricanes WR Randal Hill to ESPN back in 2017. “It’s the Hall of Justice vs. the Legion of Doom. Jedi vs. Sith. Everyday men vs. the silver spoon.” Then it went quiet. But Sunday night, the fire reignited. Miami and Notre Dame kicked off 2025 in a fierce, high-stakes showdown. Honestly, a rivalry reborn and every bit worth watching.

But for Marcus Freeman, the script told a different story last season. In 2024, nobody owned the “middle eight” like Notre Dame. A 131-point edge in those crucial minutes made them kings of momentum. But in Miami, the script flipped. With just over five left before halftime, Carson Beck took control. Ten plays. Seventy yards. Precision football. Then came the dagger. CJ Daniels shook Leonard Moore with a filthy double move, then stretched out for a one-handed snag right in front of a stunned Adon Shuler. It was the play of the night and Miami’s statement moment. Now, after the loss to the Hurricanes, is Notre Dame’s CFP bid already in jeopardy?

Marcus Freeman’s CFP dream is only sounding the alarm

Well, Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame ended last year with heartbreak. The Irish watched the Ohio State Buckeyes hoist the National Title: a bitter reminder they were one win short of glory. Now, this season was supposed to be about growth, redemption, and another shot at the CFP. But Miami threw a wrench in that plan.

A 27–24 loss in Week 1 has Marcus Freeman searching for answers. “It’s the first game of the year versus a heck of an opponent,” he said. “We obviously got a new quarterback starting, and we got to do things to help him figure his way out. And defensively, we got to be better in crucial parts of the game.” Now, with Texas A&M looming as the only ranked team left, the Irish are already staring at a razor-thin margin. And the alarm bells are loud.

“We’ll take it — we’ll get back to work, look at ways to fix it and utilize this bye week and get ready for A&M,” promised Freeman. But the reality is clear: one slip, and Notre Dame’s playoff hopes may vanish. While last year ended in the title game, this year, just making it back to the CFP already feels like an uphill climb.