Marcus Freeman had a priceless reaction after winning the Sugar Bowl and Notre Dame fans are fired up

In just his third year at the helm in South Bend, Marcus Freeman has the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on the cusp of their first national championship since 1988. Freeman led the Irish to a 23-10 win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal with a masterful coaching performance, besting two-time national champion Kirby Smart. 

In every sideline interview he had, Freeman heaped praise onto his counterpart and Smart’s program, but it was Smart who made the costly mistakes. Just before halftime, he had backup quarterback Gunner Stockton dropping back to pass with under 40 seconds left and the ball on his own 25-yard line. The first play of the drive resulted in a strip-sack and on the very next play after a Notre Dame recovery, the first touchdown of the game. 

However, Freeman’s best moment came in the fourth quarter when he confused Smart and Georgia by rushing his punt team off the field and his offense on to earn a first down on fourth-and-1 when Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker jumped offsides. 

It had to be an exhausting week for the first-time head coach, leading his team through his first-ever CFP, and it was made worse by the terrorist attack on New Year’s Day in New Orleans that forced the game to be postponed to Thursday afternoon. Yet, whatever energy Freeman had left, he let out on the field after singing the alma mater. 

It was a priceless reaction from a coach who is becoming beloved by his fanbase and across college football. 

Naturally, the comparison to his predecessor Brian Kelly began as Freeman has the Fighting Irish two wins away from a national championship, which eluded Kelly across his 12-year tenure. 

Even if Notre Dame falls short, it's safe to say that Freeman has established himself at Notre Dame and will be a fan favorite for years to come, assuming he keeps winning at this rate, of course.