Notre Dame coach defends controversial field goal decision

Notre Dame attempted a field goal when down by 16 against Ohio State in the national championship game rather than go for a touchdown.
Notre Dame elected to try a field goal on fourth down when trailing Ohio State by 16 points in the national championship game.
Notre Dame elected to try a field goal on fourth down when trailing Ohio State by 16 points in the national championship game. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Facing a 4th and Goal and down 16 points in the national championship game, Notre Dame elected to kick a field goal rather than try for a touchdown, a decision that was met with confusion and criticism during the game.

The kick would have left the Irish down to Ohio State by 13 points, but instead didn’t change a thing after Mitchell Jeter’s kick hit the upright and fell to the ground, no good.

A pivotal 70-yard drive over 12 plays that began off a Buckeye fumble ended with nothing, but it’s a decision Freeman defended.

“Instead of being down 16, let’s try to go down 13,” Freeman said after the loss to Ohio State.

“I know it’s still a two-score game, but you have better -- a better probability of 14 points than you do 16 points. So, if it was a shorter 4th and Goal situation, I probably would have gone for it. 

“But I just felt 4th and 9 was not a great chance for us to make and I decided to kick and we didn’t make it,” he added.

Ohio State had been one of college football’s best red zone defenses this season.

That possession in particular was the 25th time the Buckeyes faced a 1st and Goal situation and the ninth time that their opponent came away without any points.

Notre Dame still had all three of its timeouts and over 9 minutes of regulation left and its defense had allowed just 3 points in the second half to that point.

And the Irish did get a touchdown later in the fourth quarter, when Riley Leonard connected with wide receiver Jaden Greathouse for a 30-yard touchdown with 4:15 left in the game.

The two-point conversion that followed cut Ohio State’s lead to 31-23.

But the Buckeyes’ offense regrouped on its final drive and was able to run out the clock, thanks in large part to a statement 57-yard pass from Will Howard to Jeremiah Smith.

That allowed Ohio State to kick a 33-yard field goal that basically put the game out of reach for the Irish, who would have had some hope in the final half-minute of regulation had Jeter’s field goal gone through.

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James Parks
JAMES PARKS

James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He previously covered football for 247Sports and CBS Interactive. College Football HQ joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022.