Notre Dame football head coach Marcus Freeman gave an eye-opening declaration right before the National Championship game kicked off against Ohio State. The No. 5 Fighting Irish are heading into this matchup as heavy underdogs despite being the higher-ranked team. Notre Dame is coming off three impressive victories in the College Football Playoff to make it to Atlanta.

In a sideline interview with ESPN, the Fighting Irish third-year head coach revealed his pregame message to his squad.

“We got to start (with the intensity) when the foot hits the ball. I just told them in the locker room, ‘Vegas got half of it right. We're not underdogs, but we're some dogs. And real dogs hunt, so it's time to go.'”

The Fighting Irish are vying for their first national title since 1988

Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) scores a touchdown against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the first half the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Brett Davis-Imagn Images

While Marcus Freeman's team is up against the odds, the Fighting Irish are used to battling through adversity this season. Many pundits wrote this program off after its embarrassing loss at home to Northern Illinois in Week 2. Notre Dame football has since won 13 straight, including consecutive victories over powerhouses like No. 2 Georgia and No. 4 Penn State.

No matter what happens Monday night, the Fighting Irish have won their first New Year's Six bowl game since 1994. That accomplishment alone felt far-fetched for a program that always seemed to come up short in big games. Marcus Freeman, however, has changed the culture in South Bend, and this team believes it can beat anyone. That includes No. 6 Ohio State, which has looked like the best team in the country over the past three games.

After a brutal loss at home to Michigan, the Buckeyes have bounced back in the best way possible. That includes getting some much-needed revenge over No. 1 Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Ohio State will now vy for its first championship since 2014, which was ironically the first year of the four-team College Football Playoff.

The key to this game will be time of possession and the line of scrimmage. If the Fighting Irish can impose its physical will on the Buckeyes in this clash, this game could come down to the wire. However, if the Ohio State defense can continually put its explosive offense on the field, that could spell trouble for Notre Dame.

Overall, Marcus Freeman's message reflects the elite mentality of his program. Through one quarter, the Fighting Irish and Buckeyes are tied 7-7 in a very even game so far. What happens going forward in Atlanta will ultimately determine each of these teams' legacies in college football lore.