Massive Update: Marcus Freeman Explains Eyebrow-Raising Field Goal Decision vs. Ohio State

Marcus Freeman Explains Controversial Field Goal Decision Against Ohio State

Notre Dame’s late field goal attempt in their national championship game against Ohio State didn’t go as planned. The Buckeyes ultimately secured a 34–23 victory, dashing the Irish’s comeback hopes.

After falling behind 31–7, Notre Dame made a push in the second half. At one point, it seemed they might make the game competitive.

They managed to reduce Ohio State’s lead to 31–15, and after recovering a crucial fumble, they drove into the red zone with just under 10 minutes left. However, the offense stalled. Facing fourth-and-goal from the 9-yard line, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman opted for a field goal attempt rather than attempting to score a touchdown. The decision raised questions from analysts, and to make matters worse, the kick bounced off the post, leaving the deficit at 16 points.

After the game, Freeman explained his thought process behind the decision.

“I felt that instead of being down 16, we’d be in a better spot down 13,” Freeman said. “Even though it’s still a two-score game, it’s easier to score 14 points than 16. If it had been a shorter fourth-and-goal, I might have gone for it, but with it being fourth-and-9, I didn’t think we had a great chance to convert.”

Freeman’s reasoning is understandable. Down by 16, Notre Dame was already facing an uphill battle. While still a two-score game, they would need to convert two touchdowns with two-point conversions to tie the game. A field goal, however, would mean two touchdowns could win the game.

However, by choosing the field goal, Notre Dame essentially ruled out the possibility of cutting the lead to one score and set themselves up for needing two more possessions—an uncertain prospect with under 10 minutes remaining.

Ultimately, the field goal was missed, meaning the result was the same as if they had failed on fourth-and-goal. Notre Dame did manage to force a crucial stop later, but they couldn’t secure the final possession to tie the game.

Football’s math can be complicated.