Notre Dame vs Oklahoma State Fiesta Bowl recap

NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- The new year didn’t exactly start the way Irish faithful had planned. Notre Dame losing yet another new year’s six bowl game. However, Marcus Freeman is more motivated now than ever to get this program back on track.

“Understand the platform you’re on, but at the same time when the foot hits the ball it’s time to go, it’s time to lead,” Notre Dame football head coach Marcus Freeman said. “It’s time to be the head coach. Just want to make sure we’re doing everything in our power to give these kids a chance to have success.”

In a game that was a tale of two halves, Notre Dame’s loss to Oklahoma State in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl isn’t how the Irish planned the Marcus Freeman era to begin. 

In what looked like a Notre Dame win in the first half after the Irish took a 28-7 lead, urned into a record-setting comeback win for the Cowboys as Oklahoma State won 37-35 in a thriller.

 

It was the first time the Irish gave up a three touchdown lead since 1974 when Notre Dame led USC 24-0, but it turned into a crushing 55-24 Irish loss. 

But coach Freeman, who replaced Brian Kelly in December, is  not allowing the New Year’s Day loss to keep him off the recruiting trail.

“I’m more motivated now to go, go, go,” Freeman said. “Everything we do from staff to personnel to whatever it is that this organization needs to improve. That’s all my mindset is.”

Despite the New Year’s 6 bowl loss, Freeman’s focus is on developing this team for next year.

“You want to remember how this feels,” Freeman said. “The honeymoon stage is over. The whole new head coach is a great story. No. it’s about having a great product. It’s about having a great team. This year is over, so everything we do moving forward is going to be development and making sure we’re prepared to have success.”

 

Some good news for the Irish as 4-star safety Peyton Bowen committed to Notre Dame during the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl as Notre Dame now has the #1 overall recruiting class for 2023.