How did Notre Dame lose to Marshall? Freeman is still without a victory after three games as head coach
It would be an understatement to say that Notre Dame’s Saturday home opener versus Marshall did not go well.
The Fighting Irish, who began the 2022 season with a 0-2 record after falling to Ohio State in Week 1 and then to Marshall, 26-21, in South Bend on Saturday, appeared to be struggling with practically everything. The only other top-10 team that Marshall has defeated, according to the game broadcast on NBC, was then-No. 6 Kansas State in 2003.
This film had already been watched by Notre Dame. The script hadn’t gone this way in 42 games, but on a day when the eighth-ranked Irish were anticipated to easily defeat unranked Marshall in front of a surprised sellout crowd, the Thundering Herd shocked the Fighting Irish 26-21. This was Marcus Freeman’s first home game as head coach.
Coaching starts at Notre Dame:
Marcus Freeman 0-3
Brian Kelly 1-3
Bob Davie 1-4
Lou Holtz 1-4
Gerry Faust 1-2— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) September 10, 2022
Prior to the game, Notre Dame had won 42 straight games against unranked opponents. However, that trend was broken, and Freeman is still without a victory after three games as head coach.
Marcus Freeman is the first head coach in Notre Dame history to lose his first three games: the Irish's bowl game, season opener vs. Ohio State and now Marshall. pic.twitter.com/vzxE3DNa4y
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) September 10, 2022
Coach In An Interview
In his postgame, on-field interview, Marshall coach Charles Huff said, “I’m really happy with the way our players competed.” “An excellent football team, Notre Dame. Bravo to them, but all week long, our troops only said, “Control what we can control.” I am incredibly proud.”
Moments after clinching @HerdFB's 2nd top-10 victory in program history, Head Coach Charles Huff was rewarded with a celebratory bath at Notre Dame Stadium. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/trWB6j2h0a
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) September 10, 2022
After Brian Kelly left for LSU, Freeman, a 36-year-old first-time head coach, was promoted. Freeman had previously lost to Oklahoma State and Ohio State last week.
Marcus Freeman’s 0-3 start
Starting with the Fiesta Bowl defeat to Oklahoma State last year, that is Freeman’s record through three games as the head coach of Notre Dame. He started 0-3 to become the first coach in Notre Dame football history.
In contrast, Brian Kelly, his predecessor, started 3-0 after losing three straight games after going 1-0. Before him, Bob Davie started 1-0 before losing four in a row, Tyrone Willingham started 8-0 but did not make it to the conclusion of his third season, Charlie Weis started 2-1, and Tyrone Weis started 1-0.
Marcus Freeman moves to 0-3 as a head coach.
They did have the #1 recruiting class back in July, though. pic.twitter.com/Y92Zp5wxZ8
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) September 10, 2022
That will probably be of little consolation to Freeman, who wants to lead Notre Dame to a national championship for the first time since Lou Holtz.
Notre Dame’s 0-2 start to the 2022 season
After beginning the season ranked in the top five in the preseason AP Top 25 poll, Notre Dame is just the third team to start the season 0-2 overall. The other teams were Michigan in 2007 and Florida State in 2017 (losses to Alabama and N.C. State) (losses to Appalachian State and Oregon).
&https://twitter.com/BarstoolMU/status/1568727774122373120?s=20&t=3OJuRHGNa4J9zs3twDnJHg;
Additionally, this is the first time since 2011 that Notre Dame has started the season 0-2 overall. The Fighting Irish finished that season, Kelly’s second at Notre Dame, with an 8-5 record.
It’s a given that Marcus Freeman’s relaxing phase as the head coach of Notre Dame is ended because the Fighting Irish will now find it extremely difficult to qualify for the College Football Playoff with a loss this dreadful on their record, not to mention two to start the season.
Fans of Notre Dame are undoubtedly not happy. There were a lot of college football fans who were delighted to see the Fighting Irish lost at home to an unranked team, but the program is also somewhat divisive.
Fans troll Notre Dame
DO YOU HAVE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT OUR LORD AND SAVIOR pic.twitter.com/jgo0JsibGK
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) September 10, 2022
Marshall was paid $1.25 million to travel to #8 Notre Dame today.
They just beat the Irish 26-21. pic.twitter.com/yspDCSYINW
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) September 10, 2022
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