Head coach Marcus Freeman of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates with his team after a 23-10 victory against the Georgia Bulldogs in the 91st Allstate Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome on January 2, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana. | Source: Sean Gardner / Getty
While Black athletes have long dominated the sport of football on the field, it’s a completely different story along the sidelines as head coaches have typically been white. That is especially true when it comes to college football and, in particular, the national championship game, the latter of which has never included a single Black head coach on the sidelines. That is, until now.
Well, not exactly now, as the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) national championship game is scheduled to be held later this month.
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But thanks to Notre Dame University’s decisive victory over the University of Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday night, we now know for sure that there will be at least one Black head coach leading his team to vie for a national championship on Jan. 20.
In other words, as unfathomable as it may seem, there has never been a Black head coach to win a national championship college football game, let alone be a part of the game itself. Ever.
Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions reacts after a touchdown during the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl against the Boise State Broncos at State Farm Stadium on December 31, 2024, in Glendale, Arizona. | Source: Chris Coduto / Getty
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman is changing that after his Fighting Irish team advanced to face Penn State University, whose Nittany Lions are led by head coach James Franklin, another African American head coach.
After Notre Dame won Thursday night, Freeman explained to reporters the significance of two Black head coaches squaring off in the Orange Bowl, the FBS semifinals playoff game.
Noting that he was “grateful,” Freeman said it was “a reminder that you are a representation for many others and many of our players that look the same way I do.”
Head Football Coach Sherrone Moore of the Michigan Wolverines walks the sideline during the second half of the 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Raymond James Stadium on December 31, 2024, in Tampa, Florida. | Source: Aaron J. Thornton / Getty
Franklin and Freeman are part of a small but mighty crop of Black head coaches in college football who are making serious waves in an otherwise lily-white professional ocean of their peers.
Sherrone Moore at the University of Michigan and Deion Sanders at the University of Colorado are two others.
Moore led his unranked Wolverines to a Bowl win over the No.13 University of Alabama on New Year’s Eve to end the season on a promising high note.
Deion Sanders head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes greets his team before the start of their game against the BYU Cougars in the Valero Alamo Bowl at Alamodome on December 28, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. | Source: Ronald Cortes / Getty
Sanders’ Buffaloes lost in his team’s Bowl game last week, but his team included two guaranteed first-round picks in the forthcoming NFL Draft, including his star quarterback son, Shadeur Sanders, and Heisman Trophy-winning two-way sensation Travis Hunter.
Coupled with the success currently being enjoyed by Franklin, Freeman and others, these Black head coaches could — and likely will — pave the way for even more to not only be hired and further diversify a traditionally white profession but also to compete for additional national championships moving forward.
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