Notre Dame fans rip Marcus Freeman for cowardly fourth-quarter field goal attempt

Last season, in his second year leading the Fighting Irish, Marcus Freeman came up small in the big moments, notably sending just 10 players onto the field for a crucial goalline stand against Ohio State. Those game-management blunders appeared to be finished after Freeman outcoached Kirby Smart in the Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal, but on Monday night with the national title on the line, Freeman made another costly mistake against the Buckeyes. 

Down 31-15 with 9:27 remaining and facing a 4th-and-goal from the nine-yard line, Freeman opted for a field goal to make a two-score game, a two-score game. Analytically, it was a close toss-up decision, but considering Notre Dame’s lack of pace throughout the game and season, it seemed unlikely that the Irish would have the time to score two touchdowns. Those who doubted Freeman’s philosophy were proven right when Mitch Jeter missed the 27-yard field goal attempt off the left upright and Ohio State eventually salted the game away 34-23. 

Notre Dame fans and the college football world came together to rip the third-year head coach for his cowardly field goal attempt that may have cost the Irish a chance to pull off the improbable comeback. 

The Irish did manage to get the ball back, forcing a punt and responding with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Riley Leonard to Jaden Greathouse and a trick-play two-point conversion to cut the lead to eight, but the Buckeyes closed out the Irish with a 56-yard bomb from Will Howard to Jeremiah Smith on third-down just before the two-minute warning. 

Fittingly, as if further punishment from the football god, Ohio State closed out the national title game victory with a chip-shot field goal of its own, right down the middle from kicker Jayden Fielding.