Marcus Freeman’s contest with NC State was yet another one of those affairs that have been giving the Fighting Irish tough reality checks from time to time. Even after a 36-7 victory, the 10-7 scoreline at the end of the first half captured everything about Notre Dame’s 2025 season. It has been a maddening collection of self-inflicted wounds, defensive breakdowns, and near-disasters that somehow morphed into a 4-2 record and legitimate playoff contention. The Irish responded by outscoring the Wolfpack 26-0 in the second half for a 36-7 final that looked way more comfortable than it had any right to be.
There’s a special kind of torture in watching your team destroy itself, and Marcus Freeman hit his breaking point at halftime against NC State. This breaking point was courtesy of two sting