Notre Dame’s decision to skip the postseason was controversial from the moment it became public. Now, Kirk Herbstreit has added real weight to the discussion by openly questioning whether head coach Marcus Freeman was ever the driving force behind walking away from a final game.
On the latest episode of Nonstop alongside Joey Galloway, Herbstreit framed the decision through what he knows about Freeman, and the picture did not align with a coach who would willingly choose not to compete.
Why Marcus Freeman’s role is being questioned
Herbstreit pointed out that Freeman’s competitive makeup simply does not match the idea of turning down any opportunity to play, especially after a season in which Notre Dame closed the regular season on a 10-game winning streak.
“He’s not one to not want to play a game of any kind,” Herbstreit said, before hinting that the decision may have come from outside the football program. The implication was clear: if Notre Dame was not selected for the College Football Playoff, the administration may have chosen to opt out entirely on principle.
Herbstreit is not a fan of the choice Notre Dame made
Herbstreit made it clear he disagreed with that approach. Unless the players themselves asked not to play, he believes Notre Dame should have taken the field one final time. In his view, the Irish earned the right to compete, even after being labeled the first team left out of the 12-team College Football Playoff.
He also argued that Notre Dame was better than the team that reached the national championship game the previous season, reinforcing the idea that this year’s group was worthy of postseason competition.
The bowl game Notre Dame turned down
Despite the Playoff snub, Notre Dame was not without options. The Irish were slated to face No. 12 BYU, the second team left out of the Playoff, in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
Notre Dame declined the invitation, and the spot was filled by No. 22 Georgia Tech. The decision sparked heavy criticism from fans and analysts who accused the program of acting above the bowl system.
Herbstreit’s comments shift the conversation away from the locker room and toward the administrative level. If the call came from outside the football program, it raises questions about alignment within Notre Dame’s leadership structure.
Marcus Freeman, who recently confirmed he will return in 2026 amid NFL coaching rumors, has built the program on accountability, competition, and finishing what you start. Sitting out a postseason game does not naturally fit that identity.
The message heading into next season is simple. Control your destiny. Leave no doubt. Because if Herbstreit’s assessment is accurate, this decision says far more about institutional philosophy than it does about the head coach or the players who earned the right to keep competing.