Marcus Freeman had positive remarks to share about Notre Dame despite not playing their best in their 27-10 win over the Michigan State Spartans on Saturday night.

Freeman has been coaching the Fighting Irish since 2021, going through his sixth season at the helm. He shines as one of the best coaches in the country, having led them to national runners-up in 2024.

Notre Dame has a big objective on its plate. They intend on returning to the College Football Playoffs after missing out on it last year, skipping any kind of bowl game in the process.

So far, they are off to a strong 3-0 start. They took down the likes of Wisconsin, Rice and now Michigan State. Freeman reflected on the team's success in the latest contest, liking their growth as a unit despite not playing the best version of themselves.

“To win by 17 and you don't play your best ball, it's encouraging. We got to clean up some things. It's a real good team. They're physical, they're a disciplined, tough team, which I knew they would be. But we got to make sure that we don't beat Notre Dame. We got to clean up those issues that we inflict on ourselves. But they're a tough team. I knew that our guys are tough as well as theirs. But it's a great victory,” Freeman said on the broadcast.

It's 3-0 for the Fighting Irish and Kathryn Tappen chats with Marcus Freeman about their performance vs Michigan State. pic.twitter.com/64E58tPQf9

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) September 20, 2026

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How Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame performed vs Michigan State

Marcus Freeman knows he has business to deal with upon Notre Dame making its case to return to the College Football Playoffs. In the meantime, they beat Michigan State by a 27-10 score.

Notre Dame did most of its damage in the first half, leading 17-10 at halftime before holding the Spartans scoreless for the rest of the game. Nolan James Jr. starred in the rushing attack, racking up 26 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown.

The No. 3 Fighting Irish will look forward to their next matchup, being on the road. They take on the Purdue Boilermakers in Week 4 as kickoff commences on Sept. 26 at 2 p.m. ET.