Paul Finebaum is a fan of Marcus Freeman. Ever since the Notre Dame Fighting Irish punched a national championship ticket in 2024, the program has been catching the attention of several experts and has become the talk of the town.
While it remains to be seen whether Freeman and Co. will perform in the upcoming season, Finebaum has vested his hopes in the team. He believes ND is on the right track under Freeman, and a similar run is expected in the 2025 season.
Paul Finebaum Makes Huge Remarks About Marcus Freeman
Last week, Finebaum had a brief discussion about the extended College Football Playoff and the prominence of certain teams with ESPN co-host Greg McElroy. While the scenario is quite dynamic for schools playing in conferences, independent programs benefit a lot due to more spots in the new CFP.
Earlier, only four programs were able to contend for the national championship, but the addition of eight more spots has improved the chances for schools like ND to make a shot. Finebaum believes Freeman and Co. will continue to sustain their momentum. In 2024, they had a near-perfect season with only a loss to Northern Illinois in Week 2.
“They’ve already done more than I thought they could because I really did not think with the current construct that they could do what they did, but I think their things were aligned very well for them; the portal has been their friend,” Finebaum said via ESPN.
“I think Marcus Freeman is just that dynamic coach that, quite frankly, I didn’t see coming. I mean, he’s charismatic to me, but I didn’t know how translateable that would be, but it is. I think they are the exception. They can continue under their current status.
“I think they prove a lot of critics like me wrong about having to be in a conference. They have mastered it because they have such a great infrastructure. They just don’t need the ACC alignment; it keeps them respectable with a schedule; they don’t have to go scavenge on a scavenger hunt if they were true independents, and they’re able to play SC and games that really are consequential.”
When McElroy asked Finebaum whether Notre Dame should join a conference or think beyond the current ACC arrangement and shift towards SEC or Big Ten, he said that the latter could help them get better and adapt to the changing college football landscape.
“I think a very smart move for Notre Dame would be to look for a similar type deal with either the Big Ten or the SEC or some hybrid version of both. The ACC has been their front.
“I mean, absolutely, but I think as the world turns toward the conversation we had a minute ago with the Big Ten in the SEC, Notre Dame would be much smarter. Again, I don’t know if that’s feasible, but I would think that the commissioners of both leagues would be open to a relationship with Notre Dame. I don’t know why they would.”
KEEP READING: Way-Too-Early 2025-2026 College Football Playoff Prediction
Expectations are sky-high from Freeman after a dominant 2024 season. With more influx of players from the transfer portal and high school standouts committing, a national championship run could be on the cards for this program.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, and more!
