There is good news for the Notre Dame faithful. Seriously.
Marcus Freeman became the first Fighting Irish coach to start 0-2 in the regular season since Lou Holtz in 1986 when Marshall staggered Notre Dame, 26-21, Saturday.
Technically, Freeman is 0-3, of course, since he coached Notre Dame against Oklahoma State in the Fiest Bowl after Brian Kelly bailed on the Fighting Irish for LSU.
He is the first Notre Dame coach to start 0-3, if you want to look at it that way.
To give you an idea of how stunning an upset this was, Marshall was a 20.5-point underdog and Notre Dame was -1400 on the money line.
The game was sealed with a pick-six by Steven Gilmore, who returned it 37 yards for a touchdown with 4:35 left.
If the name sounds familiar, it is because he is the younger brother of star NFL DB Stephon Gilmore.
MARSHALL IS GONNA DO IT
STEVEN GILMORE the BROTHER of STEPHON GILMORE WITH A PICK SIX 👀👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/prDAwx0yqo
— The Transfer Portal CFB (@TPortalCFB) September 10, 2022
STEVEN GILMORE WITH THE PICK SIX WITH 4:35 LEFT IN THE GAME!!!
Now 26-15 MARSHALL!!!! LETS GOOOOOOOO! My heart is about to burst out of my chest I’m not even lying.@WOWK13News #GOHERD pic.twitter.com/wrZfw8J8zj
— Cassidy Wood (@CassidyWoodTV) September 10, 2022
As called by @HerdCotton & heard on the @varsity app: pic.twitter.com/L0DLDjpTL0
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) September 10, 2022
Khalan Laborn rushed for 163 of the more than 220 yards Marshall had on the ground. A year ago, Laborn was an Uber driver.
Back to Freeman and Holtz.
Holtz started with losses to Michigan and Michigan State in 1986. He went on to win a national championship at Notre Dame.
Freeman, however, is going to hear that while Marshall begins with an “M,” it has never been confused with Michigan or Michigan State.
Marshall takes the lead over Notre Dame 👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/aa07H9e6bR
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) September 10, 2022