Win and you're in for Notre Dame football as they prepare for rivals USC

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind -- It's been a whirlwind of a season for the Irish, but Marcus Freeman is challenging his team to control the outside volume and continue their nine-game win streak.

There's no scenario where Notre Dame can lose to the 6-5 USC Trojans and still clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff. The only thing Notre Dame need to do is win, but it's easier said than done. Even when you're riding a nine-game win streak.

You add in the fact that the final regular season game is against your biggest rival, USC.

"I think back to two years ago, and I think we're on a five-game win streak. We had won five in a row, and we had a lot of hopes we win this game, what bowl game we were going to? They obviously crushed those hopes. They were good. They had playmakers, they had a great team, but you know, they beat us," Freeman said.

In 2023, USC came to Notre Dame Stadium and got stomped by the Irish 48-20. But there's only one thing that can redeem the 38-27 loss in 2022.

"You guys hear me talk about, keep the pain, that's one that sticks with me for a long time, and it's one I'm going to make sure the guys in this program understand, because I don't care if you were here or not, right? There's certain expectations when you're in a relationship, right? We're all in a relationship together. So, the pain that I felt as the head coach leaving there in 2022, they're all going to understand no matter if you were here or not. So, it's a challenge," Freeman added.

In the midst of explaining and living through the pain, Freeman is also teaching his team how to control the outside chatter. Such as the article you're reading.

"The things that we've done in the past that have given us an opportunity to be in this moment where we're playing for a game that, yea, if we win, we're in, right? That's what they say, right? You win, you're in. But there's things that have we've done intentionally to put our program in this position, so understand what challenge we have ahead of us on Saturday and continue to put the work in today that gives us a chance to get the outcome we want on Saturday," Freeman mentioned.

The playoff picture, stats, etc. None of it matters, if the Irish don't leave Southern California 11-1.

"You start thinking about things other than right now. Remind yourself to get back into the moment and get in and take care of what you have guaranteed right in front of you, and that's right now. So, is the noise louder? If you let it be, if you let it be. We control the volume of the noise, in terms of what we read, what we listen to, who we talk to, we control that," Freeman added.