![Notre Dame rallied but came up short in the national title game against Ohio State.](https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/app/uploads/2025/01/USATSI_25234797-400x267.jpg)
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Neil Blackmon
Neil Blackmon covers Florida football and the SEC for SaturdayDownSouth.com. An attorney, he is also a member of the Football and Basketball Writers Associations of America. He also coaches basketball.
Recent Stories
![Notre Dame rallied but came up short in the national title game against Ohio State.](https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/app/uploads/2025/01/USATSI_25234797-400x267.jpg)
![Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman is 1 win from becoming a national champion.](https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/app/uploads/2025/01/USATSI_25158255-400x261.jpg)
![Nick Brossette runs with the ball for LSU.](https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/app/uploads/2025/01/USATSI_24537200-400x259.jpg)
College Basketball
10 things I’m absolutely overreacting to after 2 weeks of SEC basketball
Neil Blackmon
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![Overreacting to everything I saw.](https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/app/uploads/2018/08/overreactingv3.jpg?resize=150,150)
Arkansas Razorbacks
The Last Corleone? So far, John Calipari at Arkansas is Godfather 3: A disaster we don’t talk about
Neil Blackmon
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![John Calipari is 0-3 in SEC play in Year 1 at Arkansas.](https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/app/uploads/2025/01/USATSI_25167959-150x150.jpg)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Marcus Freeman never lost faith in Riley Leonard. Now Notre Dame is 1 win from a national title
Neil Blackmon
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![Riley Leonard led Notre Dame past Penn State and into the national title game.](https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/app/uploads/2025/01/USATSI_25157082-150x150.jpg)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame vs. Penn State: Everything that matters about Playoff semifinal (and a prediction)
Neil Blackmon
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![Notre Dame is trying to win its first national title since 1988.](https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/app/uploads/2025/01/USATSI_25102260-150x150.jpg)
SEC Football
10 things I’m absolutely overreacting to after SEC basketball opening weekend
Neil Blackmon
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![Overreacting to everything I saw.](https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/app/uploads/2018/08/overreactingv3.jpg?resize=150,150)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Echoes are Awake: Marcus Freeman fells the best program in America and, yes, Notre Dame is back
Neil Blackmon
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![Marcus Freeman is building a monster in South Bend.](https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/app/uploads/2025/01/USATSI_25102258-1-150x150.jpg)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Georgia-Notre Dame: 3 matchups that will define Sugar Bowl Playoff quarterfinal
Neil Blackmon
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![Trevor Etienne and Georgia are ready for Notre Dame.](https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/app/uploads/2024/12/TrevorEtienneSECChamp-150x150.jpg)