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Marcus Freeman reacts to Notre Dame's 'weak schedule' without USC, Michigan
TL;DR
Marcus Freeman addressed concerns about Notre Dame's schedule lacking marquee matchups against USC and Michigan, emphasizing the importance of focusing on their current opponents. He believes it's premature to label the schedule as weak and insists on preparing for the upcoming games.
Marcus Freeman reacts to Notre Dame's 'weak schedule' without USC, Michigan originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
After Notre Dame was left out of the College Football Playoff last year, the fallout was more intense. Marcus Freeman's team deserved the opportunity to fight for a national championship with losses to start the season over Miami and Texas A&M. However, Miami slid into the final 12 over the Fighting Irish, who finished the season with 10 consecutive wins.
Some analysts called out Notre Dame for having a mediocre schedule. Others said it's time for the FBS independent to buck up and join a conference to avoid this from happening in the future. Well, neither will be happening in the immediate future. For now, we're left to wonder if Notre Dame doesn't go undefeated. Will the Irish be left out again? It's very likely due to how the Playoff is constructed with Notre Dame not playing in a conference championship.
With Michigan and USC not on Notre Dame's schedule this season, Freeman was asked if this was a "weak" slate during an appearance on Up and Adams Wednesday. He explained his thought process to Kay Adams and why no opponent should be overlooked.
"Listen, this is our schedule and it's hard before the season to say what's weak or strong," Freeman told Adams. "We gotta get ready for this. First one and we gotta take care of the opportunities that are presented to us. And that's what is important to us, and that's our mindset. It's not who we play, when we play, what's the record. We've got Wisconsin week one as I look at this."
As of now, Notre Dame's strength of schedule is 42nd overall, according to CFN's Pete Fiutak. This sits in between its week one opponent, Wisconsin, at No. 43, and Georgia Tech at No. 41, respectfully. This is well above Miami at No. 59, but yet nobody is asking Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal about having a lightened load after a title game run.
"We get twelve guaranteed opportunities," Freeman added. "And that's the reality of college football. You work 300 days a year for twelve guaranteed opportunities to play a different opponent. And so if you don't have gratitude for every one of those 12 games, then it's a lot of work for no reward. And so our guys are excited to play somebody other than ourselves. And again, we are as excited for this season, our opponents and the schedule as we've ever been."
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Notre Dame has a great opportunity to put themselves back into the conversation for the College Football Playoff this season. Hopefully, that doesn't start by going 0-2 and needing to win out the rest of the way.
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Q&A
Why do analysts consider Notre Dame's schedule weak this season?
Analysts view Notre Dame's schedule as weak because it lacks high-profile games against teams like USC and Michigan, which could impact their playoff chances.
What did Marcus Freeman say about Notre Dame's schedule?
Marcus Freeman stated that it's difficult to determine the strength of a schedule before the season and emphasized the need to focus on their upcoming opponents.
How did Notre Dame perform last season despite missing the College Football Playoff?
Notre Dame finished the previous season with 10 consecutive wins but was left out of the College Football Playoff after early losses to Miami and Texas A&M.
What challenges does Notre Dame face in the College Football Playoff system?
Notre Dame faces challenges in the College Football Playoff system due to being an independent team, which means they do not participate in a conference championship that could enhance their playoff eligibility.
