Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame faces another loss to injury before CFP semifinal

Notre Dame has suffered another setback heading into the College Football Playoff semifinal showdown against Penn State. Tight end Cooper Flanagan sustained a foot injury during the Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia on Thursday and will be unavailable for the rest of the postseason.

Coach Marcus Freeman confirmed the news on Saturday morning while noting that other injured players from the game, such as running back Jeremiyah Love and defensive tackle Howard Cross III, should be ready for the next matchup.

Flanagan’s absence might not greatly impact Notre Dame’s passing game, given his four receptions for 55 yards and two touchdowns this season. However, his blocking was instrumental in plays like Love’s 98-yard touchdown run against Indiana in the playoff opener.

This loss comes at a critical time as Notre Dame prepares to face Penn State’s talented defensive front in the Orange Bowl on Thursday.

To compensate for Flanagan’s absence, the Fighting Irish will rely on Mitchell Evans and Eli Raridon, who will need to elevate their performance, particularly in the running game.

Evans, who has 34 receptions for 311 yards and three touchdowns this season, has shown flashes of potential but needs to bring consistency to his blocking. Similarly, Raridon’s early career success as a blocker must translate into stronger performances against Penn State’s strong defense.

Flanagan’s injury marks another addition to the Fighting Irish’s lengthy list of sidelined players this season. Despite these challenges, the seventh-seeded Irish (13-1) will look to maintain their resilience as they prepare for the semifinal matchup against the sixth-seeded Nittany Lions (13-2) at the Orange Bowl.

Notre Dame Football Injury Report: Who’s Out for the Season?

The injury woes have plagued Notre Dame throughout the season, sidelining numerous key players:

#1 Cooper Flanagan (foot): Suffered a season-ending injury during the Sugar Bowl against Georgia.

#2 Benjamin Morrison (hip): Junior cornerback underwent surgery and is out for the season.

#3 Rylie Mills (knee): A graduate student defensive lineman was injured during the Indiana game on Dec. 20.

#4 Ashton Craig (knee): Junior starting center was hurt on a run-blocking play against Purdue.

#4 Jordan Botelho (knee): Graduate student Botelho injured his knee during a game against Purdue on Sept. 14.

#5 Kahanu Kia (knee): Sophomore linebacker tore his ACL in preseason camp.

#6 Gi’Bran Payne (knee): Junior running back suffered an ACL tear during the Blue-Gold Game.

#7 Styles Prescod (shoulder): Freshman offensive lineman required surgery due to a lingering high school injury.

#8 Boubacar Traore (knee): Sophomore defensive lineman underwent season-ending surgery after a knee injury against Louisville.

#9 Chance Tucker (knee): Senior cornerback tore his ACL during a scrimmage in August.

#10 Marty Auer (knee): Senior walk-on cornerback tore his ACL during preseason practice.

#11 Quentin Autry (shoulder): Walk-on graduate student defensive lineman is out for the season.

#12 Taebron Bennie-Powell (shoulder): Freshman safety underwent surgery after a preseason injury.

The Fighting Irish vs. Nittany Lions CFP semifinals matchup on Thursday at Hard Rock Stadium will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET. The contest will air on ESPN.