LSU head coach Brian Kelly left Notre Dame because he felt like he couldn’t win a national championship there. Well, the Fighting Irish are a win away from proving him very, very wrong.

Three years after Brian Kelly left for LSU, Notre Dame is in the national championship game. Here's why the players think Marcus Freeman got them this far.

In total, Notre Dame has gone 33-9 under Freeman, with wins in the Gator Bowl, Sun Bowl, and three College Football Playoff games. Over that same period, LSU has gone 29-11 under Kelly, and has never reached the CFP.

Notre Dame has clinched its first College Football Playoff National Championship berth since 1988, defeating Penn State in a thrilling 27-24 showdown. The Fighting Irish, now led by head coach Marcus Freeman,

LSU coach Brian Kelly says he's rooting for former school Notre Dame in the CFP final. But would a championship win for the Irish mean more pressure for him?

The Orange Bowl was a huge win for that program. The fact that they made it all this way — against Penn State, no less — speaks to the job Freeman has done. To go from losing to Northern Illinois at the beginning of the season to playing for a national championship is unheard of.

Kelly is "rooting for" his old program heading into the National Championship Game, excited for his former players.

Ohio State has had a tough road to the National Championship that they will play in tonight against Notre Dame. The toughest matchup on paper was in the quarterfinal round against No. 1 Oregon. Ohio State took care of the Ducks,

LSU head football coach Brian Kelly isn't letting his old school, Notre Dame, hog the spotlight too much in 2025, predicts Paul Finebaum.