The Buckeyes will take on Texas in Friday’s Cotton Bowl, hoping to set up a date with the Fighting Irish in the College Football Playoff national championship. When presented the opportunity to say the same thing,

It is an honor and I hope all coaches, minorities, Black Asian, white. It doesn’t matter, great people continue to get opportunities to lead young men like this."

Four of the five Notre Dame coaches who have won national titles did so in their third seasons. Marcus Freeman, now in his third season, could join them this month.

Christian Gray had a memorable interception and Mitch Jeter kicked a game-winning 41-yard field goal to lead Notre Dame to a 27-24 win over Penn State and a spot in the national title game.

Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman has scored a historical first. Freeman, whose Fighting Irish won their Orange Bowl college football semifinal game on Thursday, will be the first Black and first Asian American coach to compete in the national championship game.

Notre Dame won the Orange Bowl because this program knows how to catalyze every advantage and how to tackle every challenge.

A diving interception helped Notre Dame advance to the program's 12th national title game after a 27-24 victory over Penn State in the Orange Bowl.

Wake up the echoes, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are once again going to play on college football’s biggest stage.