Marcus Freeman Rises in New Coaching Rankings: What's Next for Notre Dame?

Freeman led Notre Dame to a National Championship game appearance in his third season

Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Entering 2024, pressure was on Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish had been good under the head coach but hadn't entered November in College Football Playoff contention under him, after doing so each season from 2017-2021 under Brian Kelly.

All Freeman did was lead Notre Dame to an 11-1 regular season, oversee a team that pulled off the Fighting Irish's three-biggest postseason wins in over 30 years, and land a spot in the National Championship game.

The national respect for Freeman seemed to grow with each game Notre Dame won from mid-October on. By the time Notre Dame beat Indiana, Georgia, and Penn State in postseason succession, Freeman's respect nationally swelled.

Bruce Feldman of The Athletic both annually put together the list of college football's top 25 coaches. They have released their rankings ahead of the 2025 season and Freeman has gone from off it entirely to very near the top.

Below is what Feldman had to say about Freeman, who he ranked as the sixth-best coach in college football entering 2025.

Freeman has put together a good staff, proven to be a terrific evaluator and grown immeasurably in his job. Last year, the 39-year-old outcoached a lot of excellent head coaches, including the No. 1 coach on this list in the Sugar Bowl.

Freeman has upgraded the talent at Notre Dame and seemed to change the vibe around the place. He’s 33-10, coming off a 14-2 season in which the Irish made it to the national title game and finished No. 2. They went 7-1 against Top 25 opponents, with five wins coming by double digits, and they are 14-5 against ranked teams in the past three seasons. The Irish were 14-15 against the Top 25 during the previous seven-year stretch.

Freeman had an incredible 2024 season where he beat six of the top 25 coaches according to Feldman. Kirby Smart, Georgia (1), James Franklin, Penn State (8), Lincoln Riley, USC (13), Jeff Brohm, Louisville (15), Curt Cignetti, Indiana (19), and Jeff Monken, Army (25) all checked in on the rankings.

In the demanding world of college football its a lot of "what have you done for me lately?". Freeman took a huge step as a coach in 2024, as Feldman discussed. What does he do to follow it up?

Can he parlay the great 2024 season into a magic on the recruiting trail? And how will his hires for a staff that was gutted following the title game run perform?

The answer to those questions tells you where Freeman will be on this list a year or two from now.

More From Notre Dame On SI

USC Trolls Notre Dame After Latest Commitment Chooses Trojans

Notre Dame Football Receives Big Praise for a Concern Entering 2025 Season

Notre Dame Misses on Key Wide Receiver as Clemson Stays Hot on Recruiting Trail