The Notre Dame Fighting Irish were limping. They were dazed. They were confused. They were outplayed. They trailed the Penn State Nittany Lions 10–0 in the Orange Bowl, and it felt more lopsided than that.

Head coach Marcus Freeman spoke with the media after the game to recap his team's gritty performance against a really good Penn State football team. One thing was evident from the start of the press conference, he was extremely proud of the way his players competed to the final whistle, and their ability to overcome adversity is unmatched.

Here's how Penn State coach James Franklin angered Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman before the Irish's College Football Playoff semifinal win vs. the Nittany Lions.

Freeman showed some emotion after the game as he embraced his children and shared a kiss with his wife, Joanna Freeman. Freeman, as he has done all season as Notre Dame rebounded from an early loss to Northern Illinois to earn the No. 7 seed in the College Football Playoff, deflected praise to his players.

Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman is proving to be one of the best young coaches in college football. Here's what to know about his age, record and stats.

Before their teams square off in the Orange Bowl, Penn State head coach James Franklin admitted Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman is living his follicle fantasy. During a Wednesday, January 8, press conference ahead of the game on Thursday night,