Notre Dame football fans were smiling all over the country as confetti rained down in the Caesars Superdome Jan. 2 and then it became clear that this victory was more than just one game. Notre Dame football is back, and the win over Georgia was a statement victory that the Fighting Irish are etching its program into the elite conversation and ready to contend with the elite programs.

ND has a young and talented roster and one of the best rising coaches in Marcus freeman and it is clear this historic program has found a new form of swagger. This historic 2024 season has not only brought tears to Notre Dame faithful fanbase, but has set the stage for even greater achievements in the years to come.

Notre Dame football faithful were right all along

The Fighting Irish are no longer the underdogs or a program college football fans can mock. This Notre Dame football team has fought through adversity, whether it has been season ending injuries or losing a game they were favored by four touchdowns. However, the Irish faithful never left Notre Dame side and the program now etched its name in the history books and put this historic program back on the map.

Marcus Freeman and his coaching staff are doing something Irish fans have been waiting for nearly four decades. The 23-10 win over Georgia may have only been a quarterfinal victory, but the Irish did it over a powerhouse program, and the SEC champion. All season long ND has showcased its talents on the field and in the stat sheet and now they are getting all the spotlights.

“The passion that Notre Dame fans have for this place and for this football program is tremendous and that is why a lot of us are here.” Freeman stated when asked about the support of the Notre Dame faithful. “We want to be at a place that has high expectations that their fans are passionate about.”

The job isn’t finished yet for this resilient Irish squad and they hope to carry this momentum into next Thursday and make it to the National Championship for the first time since 2012. Marcus Freeman took the head coaching job back in 2022 and since has a record of 32-9. Freeman earned respect and love from the Irish faithful, but knows what the Irish fans want and explains the players and coaches want the same goal.

“It is an honor, and we want it as bad as our fans want it, but what you want doesn’t matter. It is what you are willing to do and that is what we have to continue to focus on. The work that it takes to achieve that outcome we all want so badly.” Freeman stated Thursday night.

Freeman brings passion and swagger to this historic program, a passion and type of swagger Irish fans aren’t used to. He doesn’t yell at his players, but instead he is seen multiple times waving his arms at the crowd and getting the fans involved.

Freeman has earned spotlight and has been up for prestigious awards. The Fighting Irish head coach went on to win the Dodd Trophy Coach of Year, which highlights the coach who embodies scholarship, leadership and integrity, but also showcases skill and success on the field. ND coach earned the 13 win this season which is most in a single season in program history. Freeman is the coach the Notre Dame football faithful have wanted and the grit and aggression he brings to the field is paying off.

Brian Kelly waved a white flag and quit on Notre Dame because he essentially didn’t think it was possible to win the CFP at Notre Dame. Well, Marcus Freeman is proving Brian Kelly wrong and just earned their biggest win in over three decades.

With the echoes cheering their names, Notre Dame football is competing at its highest level in over three decades. Notre Dame football is just two wins away from its first national championship since Lou Holtz and Tim Brown in 1988. For years, Notre Dame has been doubted and been told they are not the real deal, well, they just beat the SEC champion and have a birth to the Orange Bowl with Penn State on Jan. 9 at 6:30 local time.