Notre Dame fans get to know what a playoff entry with a legit national championship hope tastes like after a lengthy drought. Your brain might immediately go back to the 2012 tragic season when Oregon and Kansas State both moved down in the list, making it an unofficial end of the Fighting Irish, but this time, it hits differently. They currently stand as one of the most talent-loaded teams on the roster and are not likely to just be happy with a playoff berth. The way they played, the way Marcus Freeman’s brilliance shined through every decision, it’s clear they’re here for the long haul. That said, amid all the glimmer, Irish Insider drops a reason to second guess their worth.

Can they make it to Atlanta even without a top-tier win under the belt? Tom Luginbill, in the Cane and Company podcast, dropped an insightful answer. ”Would Notre Dame get any national respect if they would have beat a 12-seed Arizona State or Clemson in the first round? They had three losses and then beat Boise State or Arizona State and said, no, it’d be like, well, you haven’t played anybody yet. This gives you a chance in the quarterfinals to see who you are and where you are as a program. Can you beat Georgia? Luginbill left the floor open for the answers.

Notre Dame’s season started out on a dominant note, as they mounted a statement of win at Kyle Field over Texas A&M. The momentum, however, was cut short as they dropped it against Northern Illinois just the next week. But as we progressed more into the season, the Fighting Irish found their footing strong with some back-to-back decent wins. They ruled over Louisville, Georgia Tech, the Navy, and the Army earlier in the season.

You can make a case saying they faced a comparatively easy schedule, but that didn’t at all mean they weren’t playoff-worthy. However, genuine doubt arises when it comes to national title. The Irish failed to dodge the bad loss against Northern Illinois to move into the No. 5 or No. 6 seeds, but it managed to clinch a home game against in-state Indiana.

Next, they may have a second-round game against the Bulldogs, who will possibly be without Carson Beck, but we all know what Georgia defense alone can do. So, the concern is real. But no doubt, the Irish squad might not get such a chance into the national title picture again shortly, so they will look to capitalize on it at all costs. What is Marcus Freeman thinking?

Marcus Freeman urged the Notre Dame fans to be pumped up ahead of the home game

Freeman wants to avail himself of the complete benefit of having a home match against Hoosiers on December 20th. He slightly pleaded fans to keep the vibe high, show up, and show their support throughout the game. Although it’s the stupendous team 11 who will do the job for the program, the insane home crowd energy will help keep them boosted amidst a taxing run.

‘‘When you talk about the first home playoff game in Notre Dame Stadium, in the environment, and how special that is going to be. We have to utilize playing at home as an advantage to us… We need our crowd to impact this game,” said Freeman.

However, the coach with the unconventional brain said they have learned through the season how to respect the opponent, both mentally and physically. While it will be challenging to move on from last week’s loss, it will be even more challenging to handle success.

So, with all the right mindset, they are ready to ace into the home stadium this Friday. It will be interesting to see if Freeman’s faith or the insider doubt will win over the battle.