SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Nine final thoughts on Notre Dame going out (almost) on top after its 34-23 loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

The winner claims the national championship in the first year of the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff and longest college football season ever. Ohio State is trying for its sixth title, and first since its 2014 team won the inaugural CFP. Notre Dame is going for its 12th title, and first since 1988.

And of course, quarterback Riley Leonard is from Fairhope, Ala., southeast of Mobile. He came to Notre Dame via transfer from Duke, but he also grew up a Fighting Irish fan, his great grandfather having played for Notre Dame in the 1940s.

Notre Dame football head coach Marcus Freeman was given a significant award a few days after the college football season ended. The third-year head coach led the Fighting Irish to the National Championship game this season,

Marcus Freeman helped turn around the Notre Dame Fighting Irish after a disappointing loss to Northern Illinois and earned himself a prestigious honor as a result.

Marcus Freeman's Fighting Irish might've come up just short in Monday's national championship game but one college football analyst still has a ton of confidence that the he'll deliver a title to the folks of South Bend.