Notre Dame is on its way to making history after defeating Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Thursday night to advance to its first national championship game since the 2012 season, with the hopes of winning its first title in nearly 40 years. 

However, after the Fighting Irish’s victory, head coach Marcus Freeman was asked by ESPN reporter  Molly McGrath how much the win meant as it relates to him becoming the first Black head coach to reach a title game.

Freeman, who fielded similar questions in the lead up to this game, refocused the conversation on his team and the significance of their win. 

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"You know, I’ve said this before, I don't ever want to take attention away from the team. It is an honor, and I hope all coaches – minorities, Black, Asian, White, it doesn't matter – great people continue to get opportunities to lead young men like this."

He continued, "But this ain’t about me, this is about us. And we’re going to celebrate what we’ve done because it’s something special." 

Some on social media took issue with the question. Among those critics was NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre, who praised Freeman for his response. 

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"Terrible question but great response by Notre Dame head coach," Favre wrote in a post on X. "Sports should bring people together not separate." 

Freeman has fielded similar questions about his race and the significance of his achievements since defeating Georgia in the Sugar Bowl last week. Each time, he has recentered the focus on the achievements of the program. 

"You’re grateful to be a part of this opportunity, and you’re grateful anytime your name is mentioned with being the first, but you don’t want to take away from how we got to this point, and I’m talking about your team and everybody that put the work in to get your program to this point and those that have come before you," he said during a press conference early this week. 

"Again, this isn’t about me. This isn’t about one person. It takes a team, it takes a program, and it takes a lot of people committing to something bigger than themselves to put your team in a position to be here. I understand that, and I'm very grateful for it," he continued. 

Freeman added that his achievements creating more opportunities for the future generation of coaches is "great," but he added that "the attention on one person takes away what really gives your program a chance to get here." 

The focus for Notre Dame will now be on Friday night’s Cotton Bowl Classic. Ohio State will take on Texas and the winner will advance to the College Football Playoff national championship game where they will face Notre Dame on Jan. 20. 

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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr confirmed Thursday that his childhood home, which his parents purchased more than 50 years ago, has completely burned down as a result of the wildfires burning across Southern California. 

Speaking to the media before a game against the Detroit Pistons, Kerr reacted to the devastation left behind by multiple wildfires that began earlier this week. His family home in Pacific Palisades, the area most affected by the fires, was lost in the deadly blazes. 

"It’s been tough. My family’s fine, my mom’s in good hands, but her house is gone," a solemn Kerr said.  

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"The town looks like it’s just been completely wiped out – it’s surreal and devastating. But fortunately, almost everyone escaped," he added. "It’s hard to even fathom how Pacific Palisades rebuilds and how it becomes a thriving community again. It’s just shocking."

At least seven people have died as a result of multiple wildfires as thousands evacuated their homes. Around 10,000 structures from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena have burned down as strong winds continue to fuel the fires. 

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Kerr recalled, "1969 my parents bought that house and I was just there two weeks ago for dinner… we just celebrated my mom’s 90th birthday there this past summer."

The veteran NBA coach said while his family and friends are safe, the loss is "unfathomable." 

"It’s not a loss of life, it's a loss of property and that’s an entirely different thing." 

The largest fire burning in Pacific Palisades began on Tuesday. Officials said on Thursday evening that containment was at 6%.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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