Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman recently explained the rationale behind one of his most controversial decisions during the Fighting Irish’s loss to Ohio State in Monday’s national championship game. With over nine minutes remaining in the game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Notre Dame faced a 4th-and-goal situation at Ohio State’s 9-yard line, trailing 31-15. Rather than attempting to go for the touchdown to get within one score, Freeman opted for a field goal.
The decision was met with criticism, particularly after kicker Mitch Jeter missed the 27-yard field goal attempt, leaving Notre Dame without any points following a lengthy 12-play, 70-yard drive. Many fans and media figures questioned Freeman’s choice, as even a successful field goal would still leave the Irish trailing by two scores, making it seem like an unlikely route to a comeback.
During his postgame press conference, Freeman provided insight into his thinking. He explained that if the situation had been a shorter 4th-and-goal, he likely would have chosen to go for the touchdown. However, given the 4th-and-9 scenario, he felt the chances of successfully converting were too low to justify the risk. He further mentioned that it would have been easier to make up a 14-point deficit rather than a 16-point one, suggesting that the decision to kick the field goal was based on the practical belief that a touchdown was still achievable later in the game.
The missed field goal made the decision look even worse in hindsight, as it left Notre Dame with nothing to show for its hard-fought drive. Had the Irish opted to go for it on 4th down and failed, they would still have needed two successful two-point conversions to have a shot at tying the game. Given the time left on the clock in the high-stakes national championship game, Freeman acknowledged that it might have been worth the gamble.
The field goal choice wasn’t the only controversial move Freeman made during the game, as the team also faced ridicule for a trick play they ran early in the second half. Nonetheless, Freeman stood by his decisions, reflecting his calculated approach to risk-taking in such a critical matchup.