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.

Notre Dame football head coach Marcus Freeman has had his wife, Joanna Freeman, by his side for every step of his gridiron journey. Marcus, 38, and Joanna met during Marcus’ time at The Ohio State University,

Following the loss for the Nittany Lions, Franklin sent a message to Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman . Franklin shared high praise for Freeman and the Fighting Irish, mentioning that he's a "class act" and wishes Notre Dame success in their next matchup.

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.

How has Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman fared vs. ranked opponents? Here's a look at his record vs. ranked teams ahead of Thursday's CFP semifinal game: