With Dan out of town, Ty chats with Pete Sampson of The Athletic and The Independent Podcast about Notre Dame’s journey to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game and how Marcus Freeman navigated a season that was nearly over before it started after a Week 2 loss to Northern Illinois. Some topics discussed include:

Marcus Freeman's Evolution: They delve into Marcus Freeman's growth as Notre Dame's head coach, moving from a first-time leader to a confident strategist with a hard-edged, old-school approach.
Injury Challenges and Roster Management: How Freeman effectively navigated a season plagued by injuries, leveraging improved roster management and strategic use of the transfer portal.
Riley Leonard's Performance: A candid evaluation of Notre Dame’s transfer quarterback, Riley Leonard, highlighting his running ability and leadership while discussing why his passing game didn’t fully materialize.
Home Playoff Game Atmosphere: Pete shares his firsthand experience of Notre Dame's electric playoff environment against Indiana, with a personal anecdote comparing it to a Taylor Swift concert.
2025 Season Preview: Who’s the smart money on for starting quarterback next season? How will Notre Dame cope with key departures on defense? Pete and Ty look at CJ Carr's potential and the challenges awaiting Notre Dame in a front-loaded schedule.

A fan of our college football podcast? Leave us a rating and review, and don't forget to subscribe or follow so you don't miss any of our podcast episodes:

Apple Podcasts: https://play.solidverbal.com/apple-podcasts

Spotify: https://play.solidverbal.com/spotify

Amazon Music: https://play.solidverbal.com/amazon-music

Overcast: https://play.solidverbal.com/overcast

Pocket Casts: https://play.solidverbal.com/pocketcasts

Podcast Addict: https://play.solidverbal.com/podcast-addict

CastBox: https://play.solidverbal.com/castbox

Our college football show is also available on YouTube. Subscribe to the channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@solidverbal

Want to get in touch? Give us a holler on Twitter: @solidverbal, @tyhildenbrandt, @danrubenstein, on Instagram, or on Facebook. You can also find our college football podcast out on TikTok and Threads. Stay up to date with our free weekly college football newsletter: https://quickslants.solidverbal.com/subscribe.

College football has been our passion since we started The Solid Verbal College Football Podcast back in 2008. We don't just love college football, we live it!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.