Will This Notre Dame Team Finally End the 30-Year Major Bowl Drought?

Notre Dame looks primed to break its 30-year drought in major bowl games. Can this team deliver a long-awaited victory?

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates with players at the end of the game against the Southern California Trojans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Notre Dame has made a ton of history, not all of it for good reasons

For all of Notre Dame's great success throughout the program's illustrious history, there are some records Irish fans wish the program didn't have.

The most galling atrocity that persists is the factoid that the Irish have not won a major bowl game in 30 years with the last one being a New Year's Day victory over Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl.

Since this victory, the Irish have either not been good enough to make major bowl games, or have lost major bowl games, normally in pretty ugly fashion. For whatever reason, no Notre Dame coach has figured out the right post-season recipe for Irish success since I was ten years old.

Throughout my years making Notre Dame content I've repeatedly spoken about this bowl record and what it'll take to end the streak.

It will take a special Irish coach and a special Irish team to overcome this program's big bowl scar tissue and break through this dark cloud that'd been hanging over the program since "Rudy" was a hot new film release. Is this 2024 coach and team the ones to break through?

Notre Dame just recorded two of its longest pick sixes in program history

They took place within two minutes of each other pic.twitter.com/yN5hXbcSNj

— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) December 1, 2024

This team is built different, physically and mentally

The 2024 Irish team is resilient, confident, and sure of themselves mentally. Physically, this team hits to hurt and plays loose, free, and fun. This is a vast difference from many past Notre Dame teams that tended to play tight in big games and high-pressure moments.

Too often games looked like work, not fun for the Irish players. Nobody can perform their best under those conditions.

This is Marcus Freeman's Irish program now. It's fully built in his likeness. With his mentality is the DNA underpinning everything the team does. And right now, his blend of intensity and communicative strength through unparalleled work ethic seems to be paying off.

This Notre Dame team has some serious positive "mojo" going on right now and the head coach deserves credit for it as do the players that have ramped up their intensity and focus. This vibe is a winning one that will be required if a successful CFP run is to be had this season.

For more Irish news & notes follow John on Twitter @alwaysirishINC, Always Irish on Youtube and or your preferred audio podcast provider.

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