Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman made history Thursday night, becoming the first Black or Asian coach to advance to the NCAA football championship game.

Freeman has coached the Fighting Irish football team for three years, and the team has an impressive 14-1 record. The latest victory, a thrilling 27-24 win over head coach James Franklin and Penn State’s Nittany Lions, was secured by kicker Mitch Jeter’s 41-yard field goal with just seven seconds remaining in the 2025 Orange Bowl semifinal.

Head coach Marcus Freeman of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates with his team after a 23-10 victory against the Georgia Bulldogs in the 91st Allstate Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome on January 02, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. — Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images

CBS Sports reported that the Fighting Irish made history as the first team to win two bowl games in a single postseason and the first to compete for a national championship since 2012.

"It is an honor and I hope all coaches, minorities, Black, Asian, white, it doesn't matter, great people continue to get opportunities to lead young men like this."

Marcus Freeman on becoming the first Black and Asian American head coach to make the FBS national championship 👏 pic.twitter.com/KHMksJUNdK
— ESPN (@espn) January 10, 2025

Marcus Freeman

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