Notre Dame Team Will Be in the National Championship Discussion, Says ESPN Analyst

It took Marcus Freeman about three years to make a lineup good enough to make Notre Dame football a serious national championship contender again. Last year was great, but now it's about staying in the title hunt every season - 2024 can't be a one-off.

Ever since last season ended with a touch of bitterness for the Fighting Irish to go along with the fun of the great run, Freeman has been on a hot recruiting trail. More than that, he appears to have shaped the elite talent he brought in to be good enough to potentially bring home the National Championship trophy in South Bend for the first time since Lou Holtz did in 1988.

All of this is why ESPN analyst Marty Smith praised the program and all it should be able to do under Freeman.

"What Marcus Freeman has humming there at South Bend is so impressive..

They have built such a fantastic culture"@MartySmithESPN #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/O3iimGW9ET
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 19, 2025

Freeman "running that offense the best" in South Bend is one of the reasons why he got so close to the National Championship after several failed attempts from the previous head coaches.

Marcus Freeman's Culture and Recruiting Trail are Equally Impressive

Ever since taking over the head coaching role from Kelly in 2021, and after needing a little bit to get everything in place, Freeman has finally built the squad that looks like it could go undefeated and bring home the Trophy.

The confidence that he has earned in both himself and his team shows through their play-calling. And also with the fact that he named a redshirt freshman the starting quarterback instead of going through the transfer portal - he appears to know what he's doing with CJ Carr.

And that's where the respect is coming in from analysts like Smith. Carr has yet to show what he can do, and he's already touted as a Heisman candidate. It's just another example of why Smith asserts that Freeman has revolutionized the Blue and Gold culture for good.

Programs like these are hardly made of culture alone. It is a blend of top-level recruiting and the atmosphere, headed by a leader with a clear vision, and with players willing to buy in. In his four years, Freeman seems to have largely hit a nail on each one of these.

Overall, Freeman has the pieces in place, the program is red-hot, and the national title is now a reasonable expectation, not just a hopeful wish. But now it's time for the hype to slow down.

It's Miami week. It's the start of the season. Now Freeman and his Fighting Irish have to go live up to the expectations.