Marcus Freeman discusses Notre Dame's recent success vs. ACC opponents

Notre Dame has had its way with the ACC in recent years, winning 28 consecutive regular-season games against ACC opponents.

The Fighting Irish will get their first look at an ACC team in 2023 on Saturday when they travel to Raleigh to face NC State.

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman was asked on Monday about the success his program has had against ACC teams. He shed some light on how it has happened.

“The majority of those wins were before I was here. But I think it speaks to Notre Dame and the football program and the players it attracts and really the excellence in our program … and over history,” Freeman said. “I didn’t know that number, but that’s a lot. And that spans over many years.”

The streak dates back to 2017 when the Irish were blown out at Miami, but since then, Notre Dame has been flawless during the regular season against ACC teams.

Marcus Freeman was an assistant at Notre Dame in 2021, before taking over as the head coach when Brian Kelly left for LSU in November of 2021.

Between his time as an assistant and head coach at Notre Dame, Freeman is 9-0 against ACC teams. However, he insists that has no impact on this weekend’s game.

“Credit to the coaches – coach Kelly – that had the majority of those wins. And what he’s done here,” Freeman said. “So we have to just focus on this one, man. … Not trying to give you coach speak but this is the one that’s important.”

Marcus Freeman gives multiple injury updates ahead of NC State game

Marcus Freeman also spoke on Monday about who will be available for Notre Dame when it faces NC State.

“[Gabe Rubio] had an arthroscopic surgery, so he should be back in another couple of weeks,” Freeman said. “Devyn Ford, he had a concussion. So he’s in concussion protocol. Don’t know the status yet. That will be a day-by-day thing. Drayk Bowen should be back this week.

“And then…Matt Salerno had a lower leg injury, and he’ll be out for an extended period of time. Multiple weeks. I don’t know, really, when he’ll be back. But, he definitely had an injury from the game.”

Rubio, a 6-foot-6, 300-plus-pound defensive lineman for the Irish, injured his knee during the Week 0 season opener against Navy and was expected to be out for a few weeks.

Before going down with injury, he recorded one tackle, while playing 19 snaps. He also recorded two quarterback hurries.

Ford left Saturday’s game vs. Tennessee State early after recording one rush for three yards. He only had one rush during the Navy opener, but is hoping for an extended role once he’s recovered.

Meanwhile Bowen is going to be the quickest to return, per Freeman.