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RK PLAYER POS HOMETOWN HT WT STARS GRADE SCHOOL

1 QB-PP Los Alamitos, CA
Los Alamitos High School 6’3” 185 93

2 QB-PP Detroit, MI
Martin Luther King High School 6’3” 210 93

3 QB-DT Denton, TX
John H. Guyer High School 6’1” 195 93

4 DT Alabaster, AL
Thompson High School 6’3” 275 93

5 QB-PP New Orleans, LA
Isidore Newman School 6’3” 204 93

6 OT Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’6” 325 92

7 WR Las Vegas, NV
Bishop Gorman High School 5’10” 172 92

8 DT Katy, TX
Patricia E. Paetow High School 6’4” 270 92

9 OLB Montgomery, AL
Carver High School 6’3” 230 91

10 OT Runnells, IA
Southeast Polk High School 6’6” 315 91

11 S Hoschton, GA
Mill Creek High School 6’0” 190 91

12 DE Tampa, FL
Berkeley Prep 6’5” 245 91

13 WR Los Alamitos, CA
Los Alamitos High School 5’11” 180 90

14 CB Lakeland, FL
Lakeland High School 6’2” 165 90

15 OLB Tallahassee, FL
Lincoln High School 6’2” 215 90

16 ILB Denton, TX
Billy Ryan High School 6’2” 230 90

17 S Denton, TX
John H. Guyer High School 6’0” 195 90

18 OLB Raleigh, MS
Raleigh High School 6’3” 200 90

19 CB Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’2” 185 90

20 DE North Kansas City, MO
North Kansas City High School 6’5” 230 90

21 OG Braintree, MA
Thayer Academy 6’5” 300 90

22 RB Lehigh Acres, FL
Lehigh Senior High School 5’11” 195 89

23 QB-PP Downey, CA
Warren High School 6’6” 195 89

24 RB Buford, GA
Buford High School 5’10” 185 89

25 DT Montgomery, AL
Carver High School 6’3” 300 88

26 WR DeSoto, TX
DeSoto High School 6’0” 175 88

27 S Lynn, MA
Saint John’s Prep 6’0” 200 87

28 WR Fort Lauderdale, FL
Stranahan High School 6’3” 200 87

29 QB-PP Zachary, LA
Zachary High School 6’4” 225 87

30 RB Orlando, FL
Edgewater High School 6’2” 220 87

31 QB-DT Pittsburg, CA
Pittsburg High School 6’4” 185 87

32 CB Arlington, TX
James Martin High School 6’1” 185 87

33 DE Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’4” 240 87

34 WR Plantation, FL
American Heritage High School 6’0” 190 87

35 DE Venice, FL
Venice High School 6’4” 235 87

36 QB-PP Snellville, GA
Brookwood High School 6’2” 210 87

37 CB Phenix City, AL
Central High School 6’2” 180 87

38 WR Atherton, CA
Menlo High School 6’3” 215 87

39 ATH Washington, DC
Archbishop Carroll High School 6’5” 225 87

40 TE-H Phoenix, AZ
Pinnacle High School 6’6” 235 86

41 OLB Tampa, FL
Jesuit High School 6’1” 210 86

42 QB-PP Birmingham, AL
Briarwood Christian School 6’3” 205 86

43 CB Cincinnati, OH
Winton Woods High School 6’0” 180 86

44 RB El Campo, TX
El Campo High School 5’11” 180 86

45 WR Houston, TX
Langham Creek High 5’11” 180 86

46 CB Florence, AL
Florence High School 6’2” 170 86

47 WR Longview, TX
Longview High School 6’2” 185 86

48 ATH Mustang, OK
Mustang High School 6’3” 185 86

49 DE Baltimore, MD
St. Frances Academy 6’4” 255 86

50 DT Tyler, TX
Tyler Legacy High School 6’4” 245 86

51 OT Monroe, LA
Neville High School 6’5” 300 86

52 CB Dallas, TX
South Oak Cliff High 5’11” 170 86

53 DT Gardendale, AL
Gardendale High School 6’5” 280 86

54 S Venice, FL
Venice High School 6’0” 190 86

55 OG Lee’s Summit, MO
Lee’s Summit North High School 6’5” 310 86

56 OT Mount Pleasant, SC
Oceanside Collegiate Academy 6’7” 285 86

57 S New Iberia, LA
Westgate High School 6’2” 185 86

58 OG Wyomissing, PA
Wyomissing High School 6’4” 285 86

59 OLB Baton Rouge, LA
University Laboratory School 6’1” 210 86

60 WR Round Rock, TX
Stony Point High School 6’2” 175 86

61 OT Ramsey, NJ
Don Bosco High School 6’5” 290 86

62 WR Miami, FL
Gulliver Prep High School 6’1” 170 86

63 ATH La Grange, TX
La Grange High School 5’11” 185 86

64 OT Findlay, OH
Findlay High School 6’5” 260 86

65 DE Bellflower, CA
St. John Bosco High School 6’5” 265 86

66 OT Rock Island, IL
Alleman High School 6’6” 305 86

67 WR Rolesville, NC
Rolesville High School 6’2” 185 86

68 DT Oradell, NJ
Bergen Catholic High 6’6” 325 86

69 DE Miami, FL
Miami Central High School 6’3” 255 86

70 CB Seminole, FL
Osceola High School 6’1” 180 86

71 DT Warner Robins, GA
Warner Robins High School 6’5” 270 86

72 DE Eufaula, AL
Eufaula High School 6’3” 220 86

73 WR Baton Rouge, LA
Catholic High School 6’4” 185 85

74 OLB Orlando, FL
Jones High School 6’2” 235 85

75 WR Bellflower, CA
St. John Bosco High School 5’11” 190 85

76 OG Ashburn, VA
Broad Run High School 6’5” 280 85

77 QB-DT Maize, KS
Maize High School 6’2” 175 85

78 OLB Merrillville, IN
Andrean High School 6’2” 215 85

79 S Shiner, TX
Shiner High School 6’1” 175 85

80 WR Phenix City, AL
Central High School 5’11” 180 85

81 OG Odessa, TX
Permian High School 6’4” 300 85

82 CB Quincy, FL
Robert F. Munroe High School 6’1” 190 85

83 TE-H Bixby, OK
Bixby High School 6’3” 215 85

84 DE Platte City, MO
Platte County R-III High School 6’5” 210 85

85 TE-H Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’5” 230 85

86 DE Phenix City, AL
Central High School 6’4” 255 85

87 DT Hyattsville, MD
DeMatha Catholic High School 6’6” 260 85

88 OT Alabaster, AL
Thompson High School 6’7” 310 85

89 DE Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’5” 240 85

90 DT Seminole, FL
Osceola High School 6’3” 300 84

91 CB Tampa, FL
Wharton High School 6’1” 187 84

92 WR Orlando, FL
Boone High School 6’2” 180 84

93 RB Saint Louis, MO
Christian Brothers College High School 6’1” 195 84

94 S Alabaster, AL
Thompson High School 6’2” 190 84

95 WR Flower Mound, TX
Marcus High School 6’3” 175 84

96 OG Orange Park, FL
Orange Park High School 6’4” 295 84

97 ILB Barnesville, GA
Lamar County High School 6’1” 220 84

98 ATH Houston, TX
Dwight D. Eisenhower High School 5’10” 170 84

99 TE-Y Fairburn, GA
Langston Hughes High School 6’5” 230 84

100 CB Gardena, CA
Junipero Serra High School 5’11” 175 84

101 DE Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’4” 250 84

102 OLB Murfreesboro, TN
Riverdale High School 6’5” 205 84

103 WR Ridgeland, MS
Ridgeland High School 6’3” 190 84

104 S Fort Lauderdale, FL
Saint Thomas Aquinas High School 5’11” 180 84

105 CB Melbourne, FL
Eau Gallie High School 5’11” 180 84

106 DE Norman, OK
Community Christian School 6’4” 215 84

107 S Fulton, MS
Itawamba Agri High School 6’0” 200 84

108 OT Fairburn, GA
Langston Hughes High School 6’7” 290 84

109 ATH Houston, TX
The Kinkaid School 5’11” 170 84

110 OT Tuscaloosa, AL
Northridge High School 6’7” 300 84

111 QB-PP Ankeny, IA
Ankeny High School 6’6” 230 84

112 CB Plantation, FL
American Heritage High School 6’2” 185 84

113 OLB Lehi, UT
Skyridge High School 6’4” 220 84

114 DE Springdale, MD
C. H. Flowers High School 6’6” 230 84

115 OLB Crandall, TX
Crandall High School 6’1” 210 84

116 RB Dexter, MI
Dexter High School 5’11” 180 84

117 TE-Y Folsom, CA
Folsom High School 6’5” 235 84

118 DE Colleyville, TX
Covenant Christian Academy 6’5” 260 84

119 WR Heathsville, VA
Northumberland High School 6’2” 225 84

120 OT Windsor, CT
Loomis Chaffee School 6’6” 310 84

121 DE New Hope, MN
Robbinsdale Cooper High School 6’4” 245 84

122 TE-H Austin, TX
Westlake High School 6’2” 220 84

123 OT East Saint Louis, IL
East St. Louis High School 6’7” 355 84

124 OLB Tampa, FL
Tampa Catholic High School 6’0” 200 84

125 DE Seminole, FL
Osceola High School 6’5” 270 84

126 OT Clearwater, FL
Clearwater Academy 6’7” 300 84

127 TE-Y Saint Louis, MO
De Smet Jesuit High School 6’4” 250 84

128 OLB Hoschton, GA
Mill Creek High School 6’3” 200 84

129 ATH Dallas, TX
South Oak Cliff High 5’11” 170 84

130 OLB Fairfax, VA
Fairfax High School 6’2” 205 84

131 OT Austin, TX
Westlake High School 6’4” 310 83

132 OLB Teague, TX
Teague High School 6’2” 225 83

133 DT Camden, SC
Camden High School 6’5” 325 83

134 OG Douglasville, GA
South Paulding High School 6’4” 300 83

135 OT Roebuck, SC
Dorman High School 6’4” 305 83

136 TE-Y Thompson’s Station, TN
Independence High School 6’5” 225 83

137 OT McDonough, GA
Eagles Landing Christian Academy 6’7” 335 83

138 CB Long Beach, CA
Long Beach Polytechnic High School 6’0” 175 83

139 S West Orange, FL
West Orange High School 6’2” 205 83

140 RB Derby, KS
Derby Senior High School 5’8” 155 83

141 S Denton, TX
John H. Guyer High School 6’0” 175 83

142 WR Miami, FL
Miami Edison Senior High School 5’9” 170 83

143 DE Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’3” 250 83

144 WR Thomasville, GA
Thomas County Central High School 5’11” 175 83

145 CB Saint Louis, MO
De Smet Jesuit High School 6’0” 175 83

146 ATH Tampa, FL
Gaither High School 5’11” 170 83

147 ILB Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’2” 225 83

148 RB Baton Rouge, LA
Liberty Magnet High School 5’11” 200 83

149 CB Waxahachie, TX
Waxahachie High School 5’11” 180 83

150 QB-PP Cornelius, NC
Hough High School 6’3” 225 83

151 ATH Idaho Falls, ID
Skyline High School 6’4” 225 83

152 DT Jacksonville, FL
Westside High School 6’4” 300 83

153 DE American Fork, UT
American Fork High School 6’4” 240 83

154 CB Miami, FL
Gulliver Prep High School 6’2” 175 83

155 ATH Lincoln, NE
Lincoln East High School 6’5” 200 83

156 DE Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Santa Margarita Catholic High School 6’7” 255 83

157 WR Lakeland, FL
Lakeland High School 6’4” 190 83

158 CB Kankakee, IL
Kankakee High School 6’2” 170 83

159 WR Raleigh, NC
Millbrook High School 6’3” 200 83

160 TE-H Santa Rosa Beach, FL
South Walton High School 6’6” 210 83

161 CB Bellflower, CA
St. John Bosco High School 6’2” 185 82

162 WR Milton, FL
Milton High School 6’3” 205 82

163 DE Hickory, NC
Hickory High School 6’4” 230 82

164 DT Saint James, MD
St. James School 6’4” 275 82

165 RB Picayune, MS
Picayune Memorial High School 6’1” 215 82

166 DE Concord, NC
J. M. Robinson High School 6’5” 260 82

167 ILB Many, LA
Many High School 6’2” 205 82

168 CB Roswell, GA
Roswell High School 5’11” 165 82

169 OG West Bloomfield, MI
West Bloomfield High School 6’3” 280 82

170 DE Detroit, MI
Cass Technical High School 6’3” 245 82

171 DT Chandler, AZ
Chandler High School 6’4” 295 82

172 RB Farmerville, LA
Union Parish High School 5’8” 180 82

173 CB Coppell, TX
Coppell High School 6’1” 190 82

174 OG Huber Heights, OH
Wayne High School 6’3” 280 82

175 QB-DT Nashville, TN
Montgomery Bell Academy 6’1” 170 82

176 WR Converse, TX
Judson High School 5’11” 170 82

177 OLB Jacksonville, FL
Andrew Jackson High School 6’3” 215 82

178 ATH Waco, TX
Connally High School 6’2” 190 82

179 DE Ellenwood, GA
Cedar Grove High School 6’6” 210 82

180 QB-DT Hendersonville, TN
Pope John Paul II High School 6’2” 205 82

181 CB Ellenwood, GA
Cedar Grove High School 5’11” 170 82

182 DE Austin, TX
Westlake High School 6’5” 230 82

183 OLB Durham, NC
Southern Durham High School 6’4” 215 82

184 ATH Temple, TX
Temple High School 6’0” 185 82

185 ILB Smyrna, TN
Smyrna High School 6’1” 215 82

186 CB Jacksonville, FL
Bartram Trail High School 6’0” 165 82

187 ATH Dublin, GA
Trinity Christian School 6’0” 180 82

188 CB Chandler, AZ
Basha High School 5’10” 175 82

189 ILB Fayetteville, GA
Whitewater High School 6’1” 220 82

190 OT Garland, TX
Naaman Forest High School 6’4” 285 82

191 DE Amarillo, TX
Tascosa High School 6’3” 255 82

192 QB-DT Brentwood, TN
Ravenwood High School 6’0” 210 82

193 OT McDonough, GA
Eagles Landing Christian Academy 6’5” 300 82

194 S Fort Lauderdale, FL
Dillard High School 6’1” 180 82

195 OLB Manteca, CA
Manteca High School 6’3” 215 82

196 ILB Altamonte Springs, FL
Lake Brantley High School 6’1” 200 82

197 DE Indianapolis, IN
Lawrence Central High School 6’4” 225 82

198 TE-H Ashdown, AR
Ashdown High School 6’5” 215 82

199 QB-PP Baton Rouge, LA
Woodlawn High School 6’3” 185 82

200 WR Chula Vista, CA
Mater Dei Catholic High School 6’1” 190 82

201 DT Richmond, VA
Benedictine College Prep 6’4” 310 82

202 CB Baton Rouge, LA
Woodlawn High School 6’0” 165 82

203 TE-H Milton, MA
Milton Academy 6’4” 215 82

204 RB Plantation, FL
American Heritage High School 6’1” 220 82

205 DE HIghland Home, AL
Highland Home High School 6’6” 245 82

206 ATH Miami, FL
Miami Palmetto High School 5’11” 170 82

207 DE Trussville, AL
Hewitt-Trussville High School 6’4” 255 82

208 CB Charlotte, NC
Providence Day School 6’0” 175 82

209 OC Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’3” 325 82

210 ATH Carrollton, GA
Central High School 6’0” 175 82

211 DE Olney, MD
Our Lady of Good Counsel High School 6’5” 235 82

212 S San Jacinto, CA
San Jacinto High School 6’1” 180 82

213 TE-Y Saint Charles, MO
Francis Howell Central High School 6’6” 225 82

214 CB Frisco, TX
Lone Star High School 6’0” 170 82

215 DE Pleasant Valley, IA
Pleasant Valley High School 6’5” 240 82

216 S Munford, AL
Munford High School 5’11” 195 82

217 DE Columbia, MD
Wilde Lake High School 6’5” 205 82

218 CB Las Vegas, NV
Bishop Gorman High School 6’1” 190 82

219 DT New Bern, NC
New Bern High School 6’3” 285 82

220 CB Seattle, WA
Rainier High School 6’0” 180 82

221 ATH Pittsburg, CA
Pittsburg High School 6’1” 175 82

222 DE West Roxbury, MA
Catholic Memorial High School 6’4” 255 82

223 S Mansfield, TX
Mansfield High School 6’0” 185 82

224 DT Camden, NJ
Eastside High School 6’4” 300 82

225 DE Thomaston, GA
Upson-Lee High School 6’5” 245 82

226 DT Rome, GA
Rome High School 6’4” 270 82

227 ATH Folsom, CA
Folsom High School 6’1” 190 82

228 CB Arlington, TX
Timberview High School 5’11” 185 82

229 ATH Fort Lauderdale, FL
Dillard High School 5’11” 190 82

230 RB Charlotte, NC
West Charlotte High School 6’0” 185 82

231 DE Houston, TX
C. E. King High School 6’4” 245 82

232 WR Tallahassee, FL
James S. Rickards High School 6’3” 190 82

233 RB Scranton, PA
Scranton Preparatory School 5’11” 190 82

234 CB Montgomery, AL
Alabama Christian Academy 6’2” 180 82

235 QB-PP Colorado Springs, CO
Vista Ridge High School 6’5” 195 82

236 OT Provo, UT
Timpview High School 6’4” 260 82

237 WR Hollywood, FL
Avant Garde Academy 6’2” 195 81

238 OLB Watkinsville, GA
Oconee County High School 6’2” 195 81

239 OG Gilbert, AZ
Highland High School 6’5” 265 81

240 S Irvington, NJ
Irvington High School 6’0” 190 81

241 WR Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’2” 185 81

242 ILB Altamonte Springs, FL
Lake Brantley High School 6’1” 190 81

243 DE Mentor, OH
Mentor High School 6’5” 240 81

244 WR Chipley, FL
Chipley High School 6’2” 185 81

245 CB Spanaway, WA
Spanaway Lake High School 5’11” 170 81

246 RB Naples, FL
Naples High School 6’1” 195 81

247 DE Saint Petersburg, FL
Lakewood Senior High School 6’4” 225 81

248 ATH Ocean Springs, MS
Ocean Springs High School 6’2” 190 81

249 RB Sandersville, GA
Washington County High School 5’11” 190 81

250 DE Washington, DC
St. John’s College High School 6’3” 235 81

251 ILB Philadelphia, PA
Imhotep Institute Charter High School 6’1” 220 81

252 TE-H Norcross, GA
Norcross High School 6’3” 220 81

253 S Zachary, LA
Zachary High School 6’2” 200 81

254 WR Lansdale, PA
North Penn High School 6’2” 175 81

255 S West Chester, OH
Lakota West High School 6’3” 175 81

256 OT Columbus, GA
Carver High School 6’5” 300 81

257 WR Tulsa, OK
Booker T. Washington High School 5’11” 170 81

258 TE-Y Tucson, AZ
Mountain View High School 6’4” 245 81

259 DE Gainesville, FL
Buchholz High School 6’3” 245 81

260 RB Middleburg, FL
Middleburg High School 5’11” 195 81

261 DE Manor, TX
Manor High School 6’4” 225 81

262 QB-DT Tacoma, WA
Lincoln High School 6’0” 205 81

263 ILB Fort Worth, TX
North Crowley High School 6’1” 215 81

264 OG Hyattsville, MD
DeMatha Catholic High School 6’5” 305 81

265 OLB Cleveland, OH
Glenville High School 6’3” 215 81

266 RB Canutillo, TX
Canutillo High School 6’1” 205 81

267 DE Cypress, TX
Cypress Ranch High School 6’3” 260 81

268 OT Arlington, TX
Lamar High School 6’7” 285 81

269 WR Owasso, OK
Owasso High School 5’10” 180 81

270 ATH Clearwater, FL
Clearwater Central Catholic H. S. 5’10” 170 81

271 QB-PP Dripping Springs, TX
Dripping Springs High School 6’2” 180 81

272 S Lake Charles, LA
Lake Charles College Prep 6’1” 180 81

273 DE Miami, FL
Gulliver Prep High School 6’4” 220 81

274 CB Rome, GA
Rome High School 6’0” 170 81

275 OG Elk Grove, CA
Elk Grove High School 6’3” 310 81

276 ATH Granada Hills, CA
Granada Hills High School 6’0” 175 81

277 WR Mesquite, TX
North Mesquite High School 6’2” 190 81

278 RB Montgomery, AL
Montgomery Catholic High School 5’11” 185 81

279 TE-H Havelock, NC
Havelock High School 6’4” 210 81

280 RB New Caney, TX
New Caney High 5’11” 190 81

281 DT North Kansas City, MO
North Kansas City High School 6’3” 285 81

282 ATH Los Alamitos, CA
Los Alamitos High School 6’3” 185 81

283 S Fairburn, GA
Langston Hughes High School 6’2” 195 81

284 RB San Diego, CA
Abraham Lincoln High School 6’1” 240 81

285 WR Roanoke, VA
Patrick Henry High School 6’0” 170 81

286 OLB Friendswood, TX
Friendswood High School 6’5” 230 81

287 OC Ferndale, WA
Ferndale High School 6’3” 280 81

288 DE Orlando, FL
Olympia High School 6’7” 265 81

289 OLB Hampton, VA
Phoebus High School 6’4” 215 81

290 ATH Arthur, IL
Arthur High School 6’2” 220 81

291 WR Mission Viejo, CA
Mission Viejo High School 5’9” 170 81

292 TE-Y Concord, CA
De La Salle High School 6’6” 255 81

293 QB-DT Florence, SC
South Florence High School 6’2” 225 81

294 OLB Post, TX
Post High School 6’4” 210 81

295 CB West Orange, NJ
West Orange High School 6’4” 180 81

296 OT Chattanooga, TN
Baylor School 6’6” 280 81

297 TE-H Fort Worth, TX
North Crowley High School 6’5” 215 81

298 ILB Gainesville, GA
Gainesville High School 6’2” 220 81

299 ATH Maiden, NC
Maiden High School 6’3” 190 81

300 CB Fort Mitchell, KY
Beechwood High School 5’10” 175 81

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Notre Dame could have ‘gone sideways,’ instead it’s still fighting

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January 10, 2025

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Notre Dame could have 'gone sideways,' instead it's still fighting

  • Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior WriterJan 10, 2025, 02:26 AM ET

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    • Senior college football writer
    • Author of seven books on college football
    • Graduate of the University of Georgia

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — On Sept. 7, Notre Dame fell to Northern Illinois, a 28-point underdog, in one of the most stunning defeats in the program’s storied history.

The then-No. 5 Fighting Irish not only lost to the Huskies at home, but they were manhandled by a Mid-American Conference program that had never beaten an AP top-10 opponent. Northern Illinois outgained the Irish 388-286 in total yardage, converted twice as many first downs, allowed just two plays longer than 19 yards and blocked two field goals.

For the Fighting Irish, who had won 23-13 at Texas A&M in their opener a week before, their season could have been over as it barely started.

“It could have gone sideways fast,” Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden said.

Four months later, the Fighting Irish are somehow one victory away from capturing their first national championship in 36 years.

Notre Dame defeated Penn State 27-24 on Mitch Jeter‘s 41-yard field goal with seven seconds left in a College Football Playoff semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl on Thursday night.

The No. 7 Fighting Irish will play the winner of Friday’s other semifinal between No. 5 Texas and No. 8 Ohio State at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic in the Jan. 20 CFP National Championship presented by AT&T.

The team that couldn’t beat a four-touchdown underdog at home has now won 13 consecutive games — with a chance for one more, the biggest of them all.

“I often tell them, in your lowest moments you find out the most about yourself,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said. “We’ve had low moments, but we had a really low moment Week 2, and these guys battled. We’ve got great leaders. We’ve got great players that chose to put this university and this football program in front of themselves.”

Notre Dame’s coaches and players credit Freeman, who turned 39 at midnight after the game, with keeping the Irish on track after their stunning loss to Northern Illinois. It was an arduous task for a former defensive coordinator who had never been a head coach until he was promoted on Dec. 3, 2021, to replace Brian Kelly, who left for LSU.

“He handled it magnificently,” Golden said. “Just being in that situation, being in that chair like that, that’s tough. There’s no escape from it, but it never got to the locker room. It never got to the team meeting room. He handled all the stress and all the pressure internally, and was the leader that we all needed at that moment.”

Freeman didn’t want the Fighting Irish to wipe the pain of losing to Northern Illinois from their memory. He wanted them to embrace the adversity to remember that they can never take anything for granted.

Freeman’s message to his team was simple: Keep the pain. Don’t let it go.

“I think it really caused us to lock the locker room door and say, ‘Hey, it’s just us. The people in this room are the only things that matter,'” linebacker Jack Kiser said. “I think Coach Freeman’s message and mentality through the rest of the year kind of echoed that.”

The day after the loss to Northern Illinois, defensive tackle Howard Cross III huddled with Freeman and quarterback Riley Leonard.

“It’s the second game of the season,” Cross told them. “I’m not going to go belly up in the second game of the season. We need to keep pushing.”

The Irish won their next 12 games by an average of 27.5 points. Only one of them, a 31-24 victory over Louisville, was decided by fewer than 10.

After reaching the CFP, Notre Dame defeated Indiana 27-17 in a first-round game on Dec. 20, then Georgia 23-10 in a quarterfinal game at the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2.

“I think you learn the most about your team and the guys around you at the lowest points, and we showed who we were after that game,” said receiver Jordan Faison. “After that loss, it was devastating. Everyone felt bad about it, but being able to bounce back kind of shows the team and the grit we’ve got.”

The scar tissue from 124 days ago is what helped the Irish overcome season-ending injuries to several of their best players, including All-American cornerback Benjamin Morrison and star pass rusher Rylie Mills.

It’s what helped them overcome injuries in their victory over Penn State. With the Irish trailing 10-0 late in the first half, Leonard had to leave the game after he was hit by defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas on an incomplete pass. They lost two starting offensive linemen, left tackle Anthonie Knapp and right guard Rocco Spindler, to injuries as well.

While Leonard was being examined for a potential concussion, backup quarterback Steve Angeli came off the bench and led the Irish on a 13-play scoring drive. Jeter kicked a 41-yard field goal on the final play of the half to make it 10-3.

Angeli had attempted only 28 passes this season before Thursday. He completed 6 of 7 attempts for 44 yards on his lone possession.

“We had a lot of confidence in Steve and what he can do, and we weren’t just going to put him in there to hand the ball off,” Freeman said. “We were going to go to try to score, and we ended up scoring three points.”

Leonard cleared concussion protocol at halftime and returned in the second half. He scored on a 3-yard run on the opening drive to tie the score at 10.

The Irish went ahead 17-10 on Jeremiyah Love‘s 2-yard run on the third play of the fourth quarter. But then Penn State tied the score on Nicholas Singleton’s 7-yard run with 10:20 to play.

After Leonard threw his second interception on the next play, Singleton scored again to give the Nittany Lions a 24-17 lead with 7:55 to play.

With less than five minutes remaining, Leonard threw a 54-yard touchdown to Jaden Greathouse, who was wide open after cornerback Cam Miller fell down. Greathouse juked safety Jaylen Reed and ran into the end zone to tie the score at 24.

Leonard completed 15 of 23 passes for 223 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He led the Irish on four scoring drives in the second half.

“He’s a competitor, and competitors find a way to win, and that’s what Riley does,” Freeman said. “That’s what this team does.”

It seemed like the game was headed to overtime after both teams punted in the final minutes.

But with 35 seconds left, Penn State quarterback Drew Allar tried to throw a pass away. Safety Jaylen Sneed hit Allar as he threw, and cornerback Christian Gray intercepted the ball at the Penn State 42 to set up Jeter’s winning field goal.

“That’s what Christian Gray does,” Freeman said. “He makes plays when it matters the most.”

The Fighting Irish will have to make a few more big plays against Ohio State or Texas if they’re going to win their first national championship since 1988. They’ll likely be underdogs in Atlanta, especially if they’re playing the high-powered Buckeyes, but they wouldn’t have it any other way.

“To see how far we’ve come after the hiccup early on, just to know that we have one more guaranteed, one last one guaranteed, it’s just so exciting,” Kiser said.

The Fighting Irish believe they wouldn’t be playing for a national title if they hadn’t been tested like few other teams.

The team that wouldn’t quit somehow keeps winning.

“The time you’re tested the most is when you’re at your lowest point,” Freeman said. “We lose to Northern Illinois and you’ve got a decision: Do I want to be selfless, or am I going to put individual glory ahead of myself? I hope the nation sees no matter what the situation was, this team continues to put Notre Dame in front of [itself].”

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Notre Dame outduels Penn St. to reach CFP final

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5 hours ago

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January 10, 2025

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Notre Dame outduels Penn St. to reach CFP final

  • Associated Press

Jan 9, 2025, 11:30 PM ET

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Penn State quarterback Drew Allar said he was trying to throw the ball into the ground. Notre Dame defensive back Christian Gray dove for it anyway and — luck of the Irish — the ball ended up right in his hands.

A few seconds later, Gray and Notre Dame found themselves with a spot in the national title game after a thrill-a-minute 27-24 victory over Penn State on Thursday night in the Orange Bowl.

Gray’s snag of Allar’s ill-advised pass across the middle at the Nittany Lions’ 42 with 33 seconds left set up a 19-yard drive that ended with Mitch Jeter‘s winning 41-yard field goal.

The Irish (14-1), seeded seventh in this, the first 12-team college playoff, will have a chance to bring their 12th title and first since 1988 back under the Golden Dome with a game Jan. 20 in Atlanta. Their opponent will be the winner Friday night of the Texas-Ohio State semifinal in the Cotton Bowl.

“Just catch the ball. Just catch the ball,” Gray said about his interception. “That was going through my mind, and I knew I was going to make a play.”

Allar explained he saw his first two options covered on the play, then wanted to throw the ball into the turf. But the throw, under pressure and across his body, didn’t have enough zip on it to reach either receiver Omari Evans or the ground before Gray slid in.

“Honestly, I was trying to throw it at his feet,” said the junior quarterback, considered by some to be a first-round pick if he leaves for the NFL. “I should’ve thrown it away when I saw the first two progressions were not open. I didn’t execute.”

It was the most memorable play of a game that was the best of what has been a sleepy few weeks of playoff football. It featured three ties, three lead changes and 31 points in the fourth quarter alone.

In the final, Irish coach Marcus Freeman will try to become the first Black head coach to win the title at college football’s highest level. Freeman, whose mother is South Korean, also is the first coach of Asian heritage to get this far.

“We found a way to make a play when it mattered the most,” Freeman said. “In my opinion, great teams, great programs, find a way to do that.”

Penn State coach James Franklin fell to 4-20 with the Nittany Lions against teams ranked in the AP Top 10.

“Everyone wants to look at a specific play,” Franklin said. “But there’s probably eight to 12 plays in that game that could have made a difference. I’m not going to call out specific plays or specific players. There are a ton of plays where we could have done better.”

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard shook off a hit late in the second quarter that sent him to the medical tent to be checked for a concussion. He came back and led the Irish on four scoring drives in the second half, including the last one.

“He’s a competitor and competitors find a way to win, and that’s what Riley does,” Freeman said. “That’s what this team does.”

Leonard finished with 223 yards passing, including a key 10-yard dart to Jaden Greathouse to convert third-and-3 on the last drive. Leonard also had 35 yards rushing, and passed and ran for a score each.

With 4:38 left in the game, the senior quarterback hit Greathouse for a 54-yard score to tie it at 24 after a defender slipped.

The game started slow, but Riley’s injury injected life into things. He led Notre Dame on TD drives of 75 and 72 yards in the third quarter to take a 17-10 lead.

At that point, the fun was just getting started.

Penn State had its chances, and Allar, along with all those Nittany Lions fans, will spend the offseason reliving that last throw — or trying to forget it.

Penn State forced a Notre Dame punt and looked assured of at least going to overtime when it took over at their 15 with 47 seconds left.

After a gain of 13, Allar dropped to pass and had pressure coming. He threw across his body to the middle of the field, where Gray dove for the pick.

A review showed it was a catch, and the Irish were onto the next step on a road that looked all but impossible when they fell 16-14 to Northern Illinois back in September.

Nick Singleton ran for 84 yards and all three Penn State touchdowns. Off target for much of the day, Allar finished 12 for 23 for 135 yards with the interception.

“He’s hurting right now. He should be. We’re all hurting,” Franklin said.

The quarterback didn’t duck questions about the play or his role in the loss.

“We didn’t win the game so it wasn’t good enough, it’s plain and simple,” Allar said. “I’ll try to learn from it, do everything in my power to get better and just grow from it.”

When Leonard went out, backup Steve Angeli came in and injected life into the Fighting Irish offense on the way to its first score.

Angelli went 6 for 7 for 44 yards and moved Notre Dame to field goal range to trim its deficit to 10-3 just before halftime.

“We have a lot of confidence in Steve,” Freeman said when asked why he allowed the Irish to play aggressively when he entered.

The kickoff temperature was 56 degrees, unseasonably cool for South Florida — and making it the second-coldest Orange Bowl ever, next to the Georgia Tech-Iowa game in 2010 that started at 49 and felt like the upper 30s.

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Horns’ Ewers leads ‘new era’ of college football

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7 hours ago

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January 10, 2025

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Horns' Ewers leads 'new era' of college football
Jan 9, 2025, 06:02 PM ET

ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Thursday that quarterback Quinn Ewers, with the emergence of name, image and likeness and the transfer portal, has become the face of this “new era of college football.”

Ewers initially committed to Texas, but he then opted to skip his senior year of high school and reclassify to the 2021 recruiting class before enrolling a year early and joining Ohio State during preseason practice.

Still the nation’s No. 1 ranked overall prospect, Ewers landed one of the first marquee NIL deals worth $1.4 million.

Ewers, who lasted one season with the Buckeyes before transferring to Texas, will square off against Ohio State on Friday night in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl with a trip to the College Football Playoff national championship on the line.

“It’s not been an easy journey for him,” Sarkisian said Thursday. “There’s been ups, there’s been downs, there’s been injuries, there’s been great moments, there’s been tough moments. … But at the end of the day, he’s always stayed true to who he is. The guy’s been a steady sea for us.”

Ewers has been making college football headlines since Ohio State offered him a scholarship when he was just in middle school. This week, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day recalled meeting Ewers for the first time when he was an eighth-grader visiting a Buckeyes football camp.

“He was a boy at the time really, who just had a tremendous release,” Day recalled. “And I remember grabbing him and grabbing his dad and said, ‘Man, you got a bright future ahead of you. I don’t know if this is good or bad, but we’re going to offer you a scholarship to Ohio State.'”

C.J. Stroud, who has since led the Houston Texans to the NFL playoffs, emerged as a star quarterback for the Buckeyes then, prompting Ewers to transfer to Texas.

“Boy, it was strange how it all shook out,” Day said. “He decided he really wanted to play. And it was disappointing for us, but we certainly understood. From afar I’ve watched him. He’s a really good player. He comes from a great family, and he’s had a great career at Texas and a lot of people here still have good relationships with him and think the world of him.”

At Texas, Ewers has started in 27 wins and led the Longhorns to back-to-back playoff appearances. This season, he has thrown for 3,189 yards and 29 touchdowns with 11 interceptions.

Ewers noted that the “coolest part” of the NIL era is being able to provide for his parents. He has even hired his mom, making her CFO of his finances while giving her a salary.

“Which is nice just because all the effort and work they put into me growing up,” he said. “I mean, when we were living in South Texas, they both quit their jobs and moved up to Southlake [to support Ewers’ budding athletic career].”

Whatever happens in the playoff — whether it be a loss Friday or a national championship victory against the winner of Notre Dame–Penn State on Jan. 20 — Ewers’ career at Texas figures to be coming to a close.

Though Ewers still has one season of eligibility remaining, blue-chip quarterback prospect Arch Manning appears primed to finally take over in Austin next season.

Manning, the nephew of NFL quarterback greats Peyton and Eli Manning, who could become the No. 1 overall prospect for the 2026 NFL draft, has backed up Ewers for two seasons waiting for his opportunity. Sarkisian even momentarily benched Ewers in favor of Manning during Texas’ 30-15 loss to Georgia on Oct. 19.

Still, Ewers figures to have options.

ESPN football analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranks him as the No. 6 quarterback prospect eligible for the upcoming draft. Rumors have also emerged recently that Ewers could put off the NFL for another year and transfer to a third school for millions more in NIL money.

Amid those distractions, Ewers has thrived in the playoff bouncing back from oblique and ankle injuries from earlier in the year to complete 69% of his passes with four touchdowns in Texas’ two victories.

In the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl quarterfinal, Ewers tossed 29- and 25-yard touchdown passes in the overtimes, lifting Texas to the 39-31 win over Arizona State.

“I’ve just been proud of him,” Sarkisian said, “because he’s found a source for him that has been a motivating factor, where he can play free and play loose and play confident.”

Ewers added that, whatever the future holds, even contemplating it now would be “selfish,” with a national title still in reach for him and the Longhorns.

“I owe my teammates the best version of me right now,” he said. “I can’t be looking forward or I’ll trip on the rock that’s sitting right in front of me. I’ve got to be locked in on what’s right here.”

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