Mark Schlabach, ESPN senior writer
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Notre Dame fell to Northern Illinois University by 28 points on Sept. 7 in one of the most shocking defeats in program history.
At that time – no. 5. Not only did the Fighting Irish lose at home to the Huskies, but they were also roughed up by a Mid-American Conference program that had never beaten an AP top-10 opponent. Northern Illinois outgained the Irish 388-286 in total yardage, converted twice as many first downs, allowed just two carries of more than 19 yards, and blocked two field goals.
For the Fighting Irish, who won 23-13 in their opener at Texas A&M a week ago, their season may be over as their season has only just begun.
“It can go sideways pretty quickly,” Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden said.
Four months later, the Fighting Irish were one victory away from capturing their first national championship in 36 years.
Notre Dame beat Penn State 27-24 on Mitch Jeter’s 41-yard field goal with 7 seconds left in the College Football Playoff semifinals Thursday night at the Capital One Orange Bowl University.
The No. 7 Fighting Irish will face the winner of Friday’s other semifinal against No. 5 Texas in the CFP National Championship Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic presented by AT&T on Jan. 20 and No. 8 Ohio State.
A team that couldn’t beat a four-touchdown underdog at home has now won 13 straight games — and has a chance to win one more, the biggest of them all.
“I always tell them you learn the most about yourself in your lowest moments,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said. “We’ve had our low moments, but we went through a very low moment in Week 2 and these guys fought. We have great leaders. We have great players who have chosen to put this university and this football together. Put the project in front of yourself.”
Notre Dame coaches and players credited Freeman, who turned 39 at midnight after the game, for keeping the Irish on track after their tough loss to Northern Illinois. For a former defensive coordinator who had never been a head coach before being promoted on Dec. 3, 2021, replacing Brian Kelly, who left for LSU, was a tall order.
“He handled it extremely well,” Golden said. “Just to be in that situation, to be in that chair, it’s tough. There’s no escape, but it never gets to the locker room. It never gets to the team meeting room. He handled all the stress and pressure internally, and he The leader we all needed at that time.”
Freeman doesn’t want the Fighting Irish to erase the pain of their loss to Northern Illinois from their memories. He wants them to embrace adversity and remember they can never take anything for granted.
Freeman’s message to his team is simple: Stay miserable. Don’t let it go.
“I think it really led to us locking the locker room door and saying, ‘Hey, it’s just us. The people in this room are the only things that matter,'” linebacker Jake Kizer said. “I think Coach Freeman’s message and mentality the rest of the year echoes that.”
The day after a loss to Northern Illinois, defensive tackle Howard Cross III huddled with Freeman and quarterback Riley Leonard.
“This is the second game of the season,” Kroos told them. “I’m not going to go bankrupt in the second game of the season. We need to keep working hard.”
The Irish won their next 12 games by an average of 27.5 points. Only one of them, a 31-24 victory over Louisville, was decided by less than 10 points.
Entering the CFP, Notre Dame defeated Indiana 27-17 in the first round on December 20, then defeated Georgia 23-10 in the quarterfinals of the Allstate Sugar Bowl on January 2.
“I think you learn the most about your team and the people around you when you’re at your lowest point, and we showed who we are after that game,” receiver Jordan Faison said. “After that loss, it was devastating. Everyone was sad about it, but to be able to bounce back shows the grit of the team and us.”
The scars from 124 days ago helped the Irish overcome season-ending injuries to several of their best players, including All-American cornerback Benjamin Morrison and star pass rusher Riley Mills.
That helped them overcome injuries and beat Penn State. Late in the first half, with the Irish trailing 10-0, Leonard was hit by defensive tackle DeVon J. Thomas on an incomplete pass and had to leave the game. They also lost two starting offensive linemen, left tackle Anthony Knapp and right guard Rocco Spindler, to injuries.
While Leonard was being tested for a concussion, backup quarterback Steve Angeli came off the bench to lead the Irish in scoring on 13 plays. Jeter kicked a 41-yard field goal on the final play of the half to make it 10-3.
Before Thursday, Angeli had attempted just 28 passes this season. In his only possession, he completed 6 of 7 attempts for 44 yards.
“We have so much confidence in Steve and his ability that we’re not going to just let him throw the ball away,” Freeman said. “We were going to try and score but we ended up with three points.”
Leonard came out of concussion protocol at halftime and returned in the second half. He scored 3 yards on the opening possession, tying the score at 10.
Jeremiah Love’s 2-yard rush on third down of the fourth quarter gave the Irish a 17-10 lead. But with 10:20 left in the game, Penn State tied the game on Nicholas Singleton’s 7-yard run.
After Leonard threw his second interception on the next play, Singleton scored again to give the Nittany Lions a 24-17 lead with 7:55 left.
With less than five minutes left in the game, Leonard threw a 54-yard touchdown pass to Jaden Greathouse, who was left open after cornerback Cam Miller fell. . Greathouse knocked down safety Jaylen Reed and sprinted into the end zone to tie the game at 24.
Leonard completed 15 of 23 passes for 223 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He led the Irish in scoring with four in the second half.
“He’s a competitor, and competitors will find a way to win, and that’s what Riley did,” Freeman said. “That’s what this team does.”
Both teams were locked in the final minutes and the game appeared to be heading into overtime.
But with 35 seconds left, Penn State quarterback Drew Allar attempted a pass. Safety Jaylen Sneed hit Allar on a throw and cornerback Christian Gray intercepted the ball at the Penn State 42, setting up Jeter’s game-winning field goal Base.
“That’s what Christian Gray does,” Freeman said. “He’s going to make a difference when it matters most.”
If the Fighting Irish want to win their first national title since 1988, they’re going to have to make more big plays against either Ohio State or Texas. They might be at a disadvantage in Atlanta, especially if they play a quality Buckeyes team, but they have no choice.
“It’s so exciting to see how far we’ve come after those early hiccups and just knowing we have one more guarantee, one last guarantee,” Kizer said.
The Fighting Irish believe they wouldn’t be competing for a national championship if they weren’t tested like other teams.
Teams that refuse to give up will continue to win.
“The times when you are tested the most are when you are at your lowest,” Freeman said. “We lost to Northern Illinois and you have to make a decision: Am I going to be unselfish or am I going to put personal glory above myself? I want people across the country to see that no matter what the situation, this team is going to continue to work hard at Notre Dame. In front of the courtyard [itself]”.
