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Marcus Freeman reacts to Mitch Jeter's game-winning field goal in Orange Bowl: 'He's been clutch all year'

Barkley-Truaxby:Barkley Truax•01/09/25•

BarkleyTruax

Mitch Jeter vs Penn State
© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

A Penn State turnover set up Notre Dame for a go-ahead 41-yard field goal attempt from Fighting Irish kicker Mitch Jeter with 12 seconds left in regulation.

The kick left Jeter’s foot hooking slightly right, but was able to curve back inside to hit between the uprights and sending the Fighting Irish to the national championship game. Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman reacted to his kicker’s clutch kick in the moments following the game.

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“He’s been clutch all year,” Freeman told ESPN’s Molly McGrath on the field postgame. “You know, early in the season we decided to kick the game winning field goal versus Texas A&M, and he does it [again] today.

“Man, that dude is special.”

The 41-yard attempt was his second-made field goal of the night, and was a perfect 3-for-3 on extra point attempts as well.

So far during the College Football Playoff, Jeter is 7 for 8 kicking field goals and 8-8 on extra point attempts. He hasn’t missed one in 50 tries this season. However, he has struggled throughout the season going 11 for 18 during his 2024 campaign.

After going 3 for 3 against Texas A&M in the season opener, he went 8 for 15 throughout the rest of the regular season and had even missed four of his last five attempts heading into the postseason.

It’s clear that Jeter has put those struggles behind him, as he’s now sent the Fighting Irish to the national championship for the first time since 2013, and are looking to win their first since going undefeated in 1988.

“This is a special group. You find out a lot about your team at its lowest moments, and this is a group that continued to stay together,” Freeman continued. “They trust each other, they leaned on each other, and they got better. And that’s the reality of this team in those tough times. That’s when you make the major gains.

“And I’m proud of this group, proud of this place, proud of this university. Let’s go celebrate a little bit.”

The celebration won’t last long, as the Fighting Irish will be locked in to the Cotton Bowl between Ohio State and Texas. They’ll be awaiting the winner in the national championship game, which is set for Monday, Jan. 20.