The stage was set, the stakes were high, and Notre Dame was on the verge of the greatest comeback or greatest setback. But as the final whistle blew in the national championship, everything fell apart. Ohio State had their way, sealing a 34-23 win, but the real story? It was happening behind the scenes. Riley Leonard’s heart literally shattered, and Marcus Freeman’s decision left everyone scratching their heads. Something went terribly wrong, and the aftermath left Notre Dame questioning everything. Hold tight, because you won’t believe what went down in Marcus Freeman’s head in those final moments.

The national championship was in the bag for Ohio State after they wiped the floor with Notre Dame, 34-23. But let’s zoom in on Riley Leonard, who was a wreck after his brutal second-quarter performance. “Unacceptable,” he said—his words cut deep. Was Riley Leonard devastated after the real gut-punch?

Marcus Freeman made a questionable play call on 4th-and-9 while being down by 16. “If it was a shorter 4th and goal situation, I probably would’ve gone for it. But, I just felt 4th and 9 was not a great chance for us to make that.” Freeman explained, choosing a FG instead of letting Riley Leonard cook. Riley knew it. The team knew it. Everyone felt it.

Look, Riley Leonard doesn’t have to apologize for anything. Dude was one of the few bright spots in that second-quarter meltdown. Let’s set the scene—Notre Dame was marching down the field like they owned it. 18 plays, 10 minutes, touchdown. Riley was on fire. But after that TD, the QB literally threw up on the sideline. From there, Ohio State flipped the switch—three unanswered touchdowns, and yes, Riley didn’t put on any show in the second quarter and got owned by Ohio State. Notre Dame was low-key literally left scrambling.

By halftime, the Irish were staring down a 21-7 deficit, and you could see it in Riley’s eyes—he knew he had more to give. He knew he could fight back. And he did.

Coming out of halftime, Leonard shook off the bad vibes and came back with a vengeance, throwing for 238 yards, two touchdowns, and even rushing one in. You can say what you want about the loss, but Riley Leonard wasn’t the problem. He played his heart out, leaving everything on the field. Sometimes, it doesn’t just work out. That’s exactly what happened to Marcus Freeman’s game plan.

Marcus Freeman’s 4th & 9 play-call

Let’s break down Marcus Freeman’s decision-making, ‘cause that’s where things went sideways. With the game on the line and Notre Dame needing a miracle, they’re staring down a 4th-and-9 in the fourth quarter, down by 16. What does Freeman do? He opts for the field goal. “If it was a shorter 4th and goal situation, I probably would’ve gone for it.” But here’s the thing—4th-and-9 was the chance to swing momentum, to show the game low-key wasn’t over.

Ohio State’s defense was solid, no doubt—stopping Notre Dame’s backfield combo of Jadarian Price and Jeremiyah Love to just 16 yards on 7 carries. Low-key embarrassing. Still, in that moment, Freeman could’ve taken the shot. Maybe it’s risky, but isn’t that what you’re supposed to do when the chips are down?

At the end of the day, this was a hard game for Notre Dame from the beginning. Riley Leonard played his heart out, but Freeman’s cautious call killed the momentum. Field goals weren’t gonna get it done in that situation—Notre Dame needed to score touchdowns to catch up. Hindsight’s 20/20, but that decision? It low-key sealed the deal. They needed to take a chance, but instead, Freeman played it safe, and it cost them.

But, here’s the thing—Freeman’s call can be justified when you consider the bigger picture. Ohio State’s defense, No. 3 run defense, was shutting down the run game, and with a 4th-and-9, the risk of not converting was too high. Playing it safe with a field goal kept Notre Dame in the game, at least temporarily, giving them one more shot to get back into it. It wasn’t a move for the glory, but it was a move to keep the dream alive, however slim the chances were.