The Notre Dame Fighting Irish might have lost a big game against BYU on Saturday, but head coach Marcus Freeman is still recognized as one of the sport's best coaches.
Freeman has been named to the 2026 Paul “Bear” Bryant National Coach of the Year Watch List. Each January, the award recognizes a college football coach for contributions that improve the sport for athletes and fans alike by demonstrating grit, integrity, and a winning approach to coaching and life, both on and off the field.
Notre Dame (6-1) is ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press poll. The Irish lead the nation in total defense, allowing just 235 yards per game – more than 11 yards fewer than the next-closest team. Notre Dame has given up 67.3 rushing yards per game this season, the third-fewest in the FBS, while allowing just 13.4 points per game in 2026, tied for the fifth-lowest in the country.
National news around the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- As Notre Dame tries to get its hockey season turned around after an 0-2 weekend against No. 6 Western Michigan, the NHL is off and running in its own regular season and easily the funniest event in all of professional sports happened on Wednesday night when Brady Tkachuk returned to Ottawa for the firt time since asking to be traded to the Florida Panthers over the offseason.
- The Ottawa fans were absolutely ruthless to the former team captain booing whenever he was on the ice and coming up with some incredible chants. They even managed to boo him before the national anthems were sung.
THEY'RE CHANTING "YOU CAN'T READ" AT BRADY TKACHUK NOW 😳 pic.twitter.com/e8m7Woi5uw
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 22, 2026
- The Maryland Terrapins finally did what everyone knew was coming this season. After Saturday's loss to Rutgers, the athletic department had finally seen enough and fired head coach Mike Locksley. Locksley went 39-54 with the Terps but held a record of 10-21 since the start of the 2024 campaign and finished his career there with 12 straight losses in conference.
- Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte said that a fan who was filmed making an obscene gesture at Florida players on the field after the Longhorns' 27-24 loss to the Gators has been permanently banned from Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
More Notre Dame Fighting Irish News
- An NFL Mock Draft earlier this month showed just how high Notre Dame defensive back Leonard Moore could go if he declares for the NFL this spring. Rob Rang of Fox Sports said he believes the star defensive back could be the No. 3 overall pick. That would of course, mean that he was the second straight Irish player to go No. 3 overall after Jeremiyah Love did it last spring.
- Leonard Moore was also named a Jason Witten Collegiate Man Of The Year Semifinalist earlier this week. recognizes student-athletes who demonstrate exceptional leadership, courage, integrity and sportsmanship on and off the field. Moore is one of 20 semifinalists for the award, now in its 10th year. Moore leads initiatives to combat chronic absenteeism and inspire student success through mentorship and accountability with Tackle Attendance South Bend, a community-driven initiative founded by the Notre Dame star.
- BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier made headlines after his team beat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for claiming Freeman's program disrespected him when they were recruiting him. However, reports about what he said later in the press conference, when he expressed quite a bit of love for the Golden Domers, was largely ignored.
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