Under the leadership of Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame is heading to the College Football Playoff National Championship after a nail-biting 27-24 victory over Penn State in the 2025 Orange Bowl semifinal. This historic achievement not only marks Notre Dame’s first championship appearance since 2012 but also solidifies their place in history as the first team to win two bowl games in a single postseason.
Freeman, who is of Black and South Korean descent, continues to break barriers as he becomes the first Black head coach to lead a team into a Division I college football national title game. He’s also the first coach of Asian heritage to reach this milestone. For Freeman, though, the spotlight isn’t about him—it’s about the team.
“I’ve said this before: I don’t ever want to take attention away from the team,” Freeman said after the game. “It is an honor, and I hope all coaches — minorities, Black, Asian, white, it doesn’t matter, great people — continue to get opportunities to lead young men like this. But this ain’t about me. This is about us. We’re going to celebrate what we’ve done because it’s so special.”
Freeman’s tenure has been nothing short of extraordinary. Since taking over in 2021, he has led the Fighting Irish to a 34-9 record, including nine consecutive wins against AP-ranked opponents and an unbeaten 3-0 record in College Football Playoff games.
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JANUARY 09: Head coach Marcus Freeman of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish reacts after defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions 27-24 in the Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium on January 09, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Thursday night’s semifinal was also historic for another reason. Freeman faced off against Penn State’s James Franklin, ensuring that a Black coach would advance to the title game—a moment reminiscent of Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith’s groundbreaking showdown in Super Bowl XLI.
Franklin reflected on the significance of their matchup earlier this week. “I remember thinking, as a coach, how significant that was for the profession and for young coaches coming up,” he said. “I hope this moment inspires similar progress.”
Notre Dame now awaits the winner of Friday’s Cotton Bowl clash between Ohio State and Texas for the championship game set for Monday, Jan. 20, in Atlanta. With Freeman at the helm, Notre Dame isn’t just chasing a title—they’re making history and inspiring a new generation.
