Coach Marcus Freeman's anguish was palpable as Notre Dame came agonizingly close to defeating then-No. 6 Ohio State for the first time since 1936, only to falter in the final moments. A series of miscues allowed the Buckeyes to escape with an improbable 17-14 victory, leaving the Fighting Irish in search of answers.
Freeman expressed his disappointment, acknowledging the missed opportunities that could have secured the win. "We had a lot of opportunities to win that game, and then we didn't. We've got to finish that game," he lamented.
For Freeman, this defeat marks another learning experience in his second year as the Irish coach. Last season, he faced setbacks with early losses, including an unexpected defeat to Marshall. This year, with more experience and quarterback Sam Hartman at the helm, Notre Dame entered the game with high expectations following four consecutive wins.
The Irish, donning their green uniforms, played in front of a sellout crowd adorned in green and red attire, creating a festive atmosphere. Notable figures such as former coach Lou Holtz and members of the 1988 championship team were in attendance, adding to the sense of occasion.
As the Irish rallied from a 10-7 deficit to take a 14-10 lead in the fourth quarter, it appeared they were poised for another memorable victory. However, their hopes were dashed in the game's closing moments.
Freeman's decision not to adopt a conservative offensive approach on the final drive ultimately backfired. Despite moving down the field, an incomplete pass ended up costing valuable seconds. Freeman explained his rationale, stating, "What I didn't want to do is concede, 'OK, let's just run the ball three times, make them use two of their timeouts, right?' And then all of a sudden we're just punting the ball and just giving them a chance to come down the field with the same amount of time they had."
The Irish's defense, tasked with securing the victory, fell short. They couldn't stop Ohio State on a crucial fourth-and-7 play, missed an interception opportunity in the final minute, and allowed a 21-yard completion that set up the Buckeyes' game-winning 1-yard touchdown run with only 1 second left.
In a painful déjà vu, Notre Dame had only 10 players on the field for Ohio State's final play, mirroring a similar mistake earlier in the season. This loss pushed Ohio State up two spots to No. 4, while Notre Dame dropped to No. 11 in the new Associated Press Top 25.
Despite the disappointment, Freeman remains determined to turn this challenging loss into a learning opportunity for his team. "How do you find a way to make your team better through a difficult loss? We'll do that," he vowed.
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