Notre Dame vs Navy: Marcus Freeman's Irish Must Win This Nightmare Matchup

The Notre Dame-Navy rivalry poses unique challenges for Marcus Freeman. Here's why this matchup has historically been tough for the Irish head coach.

Oct 19, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman shown during the game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Marcus Freeman is an enigma.

Constant momentum on the recruiting trail, routinely flirting with top-ten standing, a 25-9 record since ascending to head coach, and multiple marquee wins over Clemson and USC all suggest a flourishing and popular young coach.

Yet, seemingly, for every invigorating win and stimulating big time signing Freeman orchestrates, disaster responds in kind. Triumph followed by baffling defeat. Play Ohio State inspiringly close in year one, lose to Marshall at home the next week. Best Texas A&M on the road, lose to Northern Illinois at home.

These gaffes, these destructive self-inflicted wounds, have haunted Freeman since replacing Brian Kelly. They have prevented Notre Dame from taking the next step, from ascending to national title challenger status, from becoming the type of program that Freeman inherited and that Irish fans expect.

This week's matchup with Navy could be another one of those moments, and if it's not, Army might be a few weeks later.

Sure, the Midshipmen are fielding arguably theri best team in 50 years, and sure, the Irish are playing away from home, and sure, Blake Horvath is having an exceptional season and will throw an entirely new look at Notre Dame's defense. Yet, none of it should matter.

Notre Dame should be too athletic, too deep, too talented, and too intense to lose to a service academy, regardless of circumstance.

But we've seen this movie before. A chasmic difference in roster ability at Notre Dame has proven fallible time and time again under Freeman.

If Notre Dame comes out flat, plays without ferocity, and seem disinterested despite having its season hang in the balance before ultimately losing to Navy, Marcus Freeman will lock down his archetype: a good coach who simply cannot generate enough focus to last a season.

Unfortunately for Freeman, if they win, nothing much changes - so goes the life of a major program's head coach. Yet, it will be another step in the right direction.

He's already bounced back admirably from the Northern Illinois loss this season, but his team needs to come through here.

Embrace winning the expected ones. Beat Navy.