Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman is the winner of the George Munger College Coach of the Year Award. Freeman is the second Notre Dame coach to win the Munger Award (Tyrone Willingham, 2002), presented by the Maxwell Football Club. It is the second Coach of the Year award for Freeman. He is already the winner of the Bobby Dodd Trophy and a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award. Freeman, in his third season at Notre Dame, has led the Irish to a 13-1 record in 2024, including a first-round playoff win over Indiana and a Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia.
Marcus Freeman Puts Irish Win Streak On The Line in Orange Bowl
Notre Dame is currently on a 12-game winning streak. The rolling Irish face No. 6 seed Penn State in the Capital One Orange Bowl on Jan. 9 in at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Notre Dame has played in the Orange Bowl on five previous occasions (1972, 1974, 1989, 1990, and 1995). Overall, the Irish are 2-3 in the Orange Bowl. The Irish have played twice previously in Hard Rock Stadium and are winless at 0-2.
Freeman has led Notre Dame to six victories over opponents ranked in the AP Poll this season. The Irish beat No. 20 Texas A&M; No. 15 Louisville; No. 24 Navy; No. 18 Army; No. 9 Indiana; and No. 2 Georgia. The CFP victory over Georgia is the 13th-ranked win of the Freeman era at Notre Dame. That is more than any other Irish head coach in the first three years of his tenure. The total is the second-most of any FBS program over the last three years (Georgia, 14).
Through the season and the quarterfinal round of the CFP, Notre Dame continues to shine under Freeman. The Irish top numerous statistical categories. The defense is led by standouts Jack Kiser and Xavier Watts. The Irish’s potent offense is paced by Jeremiyah Love and Riley Leonard. The Irish are first in pass efficiency defense (99.88); first in turnovers gained (31); first in defensive touchdowns (6); first in blocked kicks (6); second in scoring defense (13.6); second in blocked punts (3); third in turnover margin (1.29); and third in fumbles recovered (13).
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