Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman makes case for College Football Playoff

Notre Dame Fighting Irish football coach Marcus Freeman advocated for his team's place in the College Football Playoff following a decisive 49-20 victory over Stanford. Notre Dame entered the game ranked No. 9, amidst debate over their positioning relative to the No. 12 Miami Hurricanes. Freeman highlighted the team's improvement and strong performance over the season, asserting that they deserve a spot among the nation's best teams. Despite not having a conference championship opportunity as an independent team, Notre Dame's chances of moving up in the rankings hinge on results from other top teams, with No. 3 Texas A&M being the only higher-ranked team to lose recently. The Fighting Irish improved to a 9-2 record, with standout performances including running back Jeremiyah Love, who set records with 21 touchdowns this season. The final College Football Playoff rankings will be announced next week.