Marcus Freeman appeared on NBC’s TODAY show Wednesday to discuss Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff positioning and the second season of Peacock’s “Here Come the Irish” docuseries.
The Irish coach used the 30 Rock backdrop to address Notre Dame’s slip to No. 10 in Tuesday’s CFP rankings. The Irish dropped one spot after beating Stanford 49-20, while Alabama jumped ahead following their comeback win at Auburn.
Marcus Freeman just appeared on the TODAY show and they asked if he was staying at Notre Dame…
Freeman: Oh yeah pic.twitter.com/NY2alzMRNe
— Matt Freeman (@mattfreeman05_) December 3, 2025
“We’ll agree to disagree,” Freeman said of the committee’s decision. “We’re never all going to agree, especially when your program gets dropped after winning by 20-something.”
Freeman said he’s sure the committee has their reasons. That doesn’t mean Notre Dame agrees with them.
The fifth-year coach also promoted Season Two of the behind-the-scenes Peacock series. Freeman said inviting cameras back required trust and transparency from the program.
“It’s different having a film crew around every day,” he said. “But our players, our coaches — they were authentic. If you want people to understand who we are, you have to let them in.”
Freeman believes the series shows who the Irish really are. The docuseries gives viewers access to the Notre Dame locker room and daily team operations.
When asked about staying at Notre Dame amid coaching changes across college football, Freeman was direct. “Oh yeah,” he said with a smile.
Freeman referenced the wave of recent coaching moves around the sport. He said these transitions create challenges for programs at every level.
“It’s tough when all of a sudden you lose a leader or you lose somebody that’s really led you to the point you’re at,” Freeman said. “These transitions aren’t easy, not for players, not for coaches, not for anyone.”
The Notre Dame coach addressed whether the current 12-team playoff system is working properly. Freeman said he still believes expansion helps the sport overall.
“Every year somebody’s going to be upset,” he said. “If it’s 12 teams or 16, that won’t change. But I’ll always favor more opportunities.”
Freeman ended the interview with advice for fans dealing with winter weather and seasonal challenges.
“Find your routine, lean on your people, and keep moving forward. That’s what we tell our guys and it works for all of us.”
