SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Before Marcus Freeman could enjoy what Notre Dame football had just done, he had to look ahead to where the Irish were headed.

It was a unique moment in college football in which the head coach of a Blue Blood program is presented with a game ball by two bowl officials who had nothing to do with Notre Dame’s 27-17 victory over Indiana in Game 1 . Campus game of the college football playoff era. Freeman obliged, accepting an invitation from two Sugar Bowl officials who probably could have waited until Notre Dame processed its Friday night appearance. It’s not like Notre Dame can go anywhere else.

But hey, it’s college football. It doesn’t have to make sense.

In fact, sometimes it’s more entertaining when it isn’t.

“You don’t have enough time in life and in situations like this to not enjoy it,” Freeman said. “Enjoy this. Don’t look ahead. Enjoy this and let’s move on.”

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There aren’t many firsts at Notre Dame. This was one of them

Good luck with that. Because Notre Dame was too good in the opening game of the CFP not to look ahead. Yes, it lit up Indiana, one of the best stories in sports. But Notre Dame did it by playing to type, by doing to the Hoosiers what the Irish did to virtually everyone else all season.

There was no revelation here. Just confirmation.

And that doesn’t make it difficult to look forward, because what’s on the horizon is a chance to redefine the way Notre Dame football is viewed outside of its campus cocoon, a place where people forget that The Irish haven’t won a major bowl game in 31 years. It would be harder to look at Georgia if Indiana didn’t look so overwhelmed by Notre Dame. If there was difficulty taking down the Hoosiers, perhaps Freeman could use that as a speed bump to move forward too quickly. But when Notre Dame blew away Indiana, it somehow made that great accomplishment seem modest.

Maybe it’s not a bad thing that the Irish showed exactly what we expected from them: all pass rush and extensive coverage, all Jeremiyah Love sprinting down the sideline and Riley Leonard doing just enough. It felt a little nondescript, but a compliment. Because Notre Dame is now used to this version of itself. And the same goes for everyone else who was paying attention.

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9️⃣8️⃣ meters

Jeremiyah Love is a BAD MAN#GoIrish

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— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 21, 2024

The best of Notre Dame on Friday night is good enough to not only win the Sugar Bowl, but keep winning beyond it. Freeman wanted to give the squad a day off after passing final exams, which were probably more strenuous than Indiana. But this is a day off that Freeman doesn’t need for himself or his staff, who can do something more historic on Jan. 1 than simply win the first playoff game at Notre Dame Stadium.

At this point, it’s safe to say that Notre Dame’s season wasn’t a disappointment: They topped the standings behind Northern Illinois and won a home playoff game in a system that former athletic director Jack Swarbrick helped the author with. But for the Irish to consider this season a complete success, they will have to put their best foot forward and show it in New Orleans.

“I think this is special for us,” Leonard said. “My first year (at Duke) I went 3-9. I’m just begging to make a bowl game. In order to play in the Sugar Bowl now, I have to come full circle. It’s really cool. But at the same time it is also another football game. We just try to play as many games as possible.”

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How Notre Dame maintained its playoff expectations after its worst loss of the season

How many games Notre Dame plays may depend as much on the injury report as the schedule. Defensive tackle Rylie Mills limped off the field with a right knee injury and had to undergo an MRI. Offensive guard Rocco Spindler missed the second half. Defensive back Bryce Young suffered a lower-body injury. The Irish need all three back for Georgia.

If all three players return, Notre Dame could have the advantage against Georgia, especially after Jordan Faison had a season-defining night with seven catches for 89 yards and a fast touchdown. This does not include the return of defensive tackle Howard Cross III or kicker Mitch Jeter. The latter gave Notre Dame a field position advantage as he made a 49-yard field goal just before halftime. The former gives Notre Dame a premier pressure player in the middle of its defense, especially with Mills right next to him.

“I think you have to be strong in the middle,” Freeman said. “We have an aggressive mindset. We approached the game aggressively. They played aggressively. It was nice to see our guys on defense playing well for most of the game today.”

If Freeman wants to make an issue of the end of the game, with two touchdowns for Indiana in the final two minutes, then so be it. Its coordinators have already stated on record that they are ready to move on. Georgia’s calling. Notre Dame answers best.

“I’m actually kind of glad it happened because it will be a chance for us to humble ourselves and get back to work,” Freeman said. “And let’s work on ways to improve as we prepare for the next opportunity.”

Notre Dame earned its spot in the quarterfinals against Georgia by making Indiana look like the worst version of itself. And the Irish did so by playing to their strengths, both in terms of who plays and how they fit into Notre Dame’s scheme. The tests may get more difficult from here on out, but Notre Dame feels like it has more answers than most of its predecessors in the last quarter century.

As I said, it’s hard for us not to look forward. Rest assured, Freeman will too. He doesn’t need a game ball from two Sugar Bowl representatives.

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Rexrode: Indiana deserves its playoff bid, even if the schedule helped it get there

(Photo by Jaylen Sneed: Justin Casterline/Getty Images)