Marcus Freeman head football coach Dick Corbett led Notre Dame to a remarkable 12-1 season and a College Football Playoff appearance and was named the Dodd Trophy winner. The Dodd Trophy was created in 1976 to honor the FBS football coach whose program represented three pillars of success: scholarship, leadership and integrity.

Freeman is the second Notre Dame coach to win the Dodd Trophy (Brian Kelly, 2018).

Freeman, also a finalist for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award and the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, is in his third season at Notre Dame and has led the Irish to a 12-1 record, including a first, in 2024 Round playoff win over Indiana, ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press (AP) and Coaches polls and No. 7 in the 2024 College Football Playoff.

The Irish, currently on an 11-game winning streak, advance to the College Football Playoff and will face No. 2 Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on January 1, 2025.

Freeman has led Notre Dame to five wins over opponents ranked in the AP poll at the time of the game this season: No. 20 Texas A&M, No. 15 Louisville, No. 24 Navy, No. 18 Army and No. 9 Indiana. The CFP victory over Indiana was the 12th win of the Freeman era at Notre Dame, more than any other Irish head coach in the first three years of his tenure.

During the regular season and first round of the playoffs, Notre Dame ranked among the best teams in the country in several statistical categories, including: first in team pass efficiency on defense (96.94), first in turnovers made (29th). ), first in defensive touchdowns (6), third in scoring defense (13.8), third in turnover margin (1.23), fourth in scoring offense (38.8), fourth in passing yards allowed (162.3), fourth in interceptions (18), fifth in fourth-down success rate (.760), seventh in third-down defense (.308), seventh in fourth down defense (.361), eighth in total defense (295.3), ninth in fumbles recovered (11), ninth Ranked in red zone defense (.727). ), 10th in passes intercepted (6) and 11th in rushing offense (222.4).