Freeman, Fighting Irish focus on opener, not CFP

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman wants his players focused on winning now -- so they can avoid the trap of missing the College Football Playoff again. The Fighting Irish are expected to open the season ranked in the top five of the AP poll, and they could use last year's snub as motivation to help guide the 2024 national runner-up back into the playoff field. Speaking at a news conference Tuesday, Freeman tried to avoid talking about what happened last season as he looked ahead to Notre Dame's opener on Sept. 6 against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field. "We didn't earn that opportunity," Freeman said of last season. "That doesn't need to be said, but it's the reminder of what the work that must be done is to give your program a chance to play past game 12. That's important, to get into the playoffs. That's what I continue to remind our program, our coaches, our players about." Although the Fighting Irish finished last season ranked No. 11 in the CFP rankings with a 10-2 record, they were left out of the 12-team bracket. Notre Dame then declined to play in a bowl game. This season, Notre Dame will be locked into a playoff spot if it finishes in the top 12. But Freeman already has heard enough playoff talk despite having a team with some top NFL prospects, a favorable schedule and that top-12 guarantee. Instead, he wants to see his players produce on the field. "Stop worrying about the playoffs," said Freeman, who's entering his fifth season leading one of college football's most storied programs. "Stop talking about it." Freeman doesn't want the Irish thinking ahead. A year ago, it was an 0-2 start against Miami and Texas A&M that doomed Notre Dame's playoff hopes. Freeman's teams also endured September losses to Marshall in 2022, Ohio State in 2022 and 2023 and Northern Illinois in 2024. Notre Dame had six key players selected in this year's NFL draft, including the one-two rushing punch of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. Quarterback C.J. Carr returns after leading the Irish on a 10-game winning streak to cap his first season as the starter. He'll be working with a deep receiving corps led by Jordan Faison and Jaden Greathouse. Former Ohio State receivers Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter also are in the mix. All-America candidate Leonard Moore returns at defensive back while defensive end Boubacar Traore and linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa add punch to the Notre Dame's defense. All of it adds up to soaring expectations for a team ready to prove it deserves to be in the postseason -- even if Freeman wants to put aside that discussion now. "The foundation is higher," Freeman said. "But we've got a tremendous amount of work and not a lot of time to get that foundation to where we need it for Sept. 6."