(Notre Dame) — It’s a matchup everyone has been waiting for this season: #1 Miami visits #4 Notre Dame Saturday night at the Stadium. It’s a big game.

Unless you’re Marcus Freeman.

“Every game’s a big game, but this one’s a fun one,” Freeman noted in his Monday pregame press conference. “It’s one you’ll remember.”

Certainly, there have been some memorable clashes between the two programs, none bigger than the 1988 “Catholics vs. Convicts” game at the Stadium, where Lou Holtz’ Irish prevailed over Jimmy Johnson and the Hurricanes, 31-30.  Notre Dame went on to win its last national championship.

While Freeman is not willing to publicly embrace the vitriol, he will make sure his players know the context of this game.

“You make sure your players understand the history and tradition of the rivalry,” stated Freeman. “The ’88 game, the ’89 game, all the different things that are in the past, because it makes you appreciate the opportunity you have now. You study history to learn, but to make sure you have the gratitude for the opportunity you have at hand.”

The opportunity before the Irish is a chance to beat the #1-ranked team at the Stadium for the first since the 2020 double-overtime triumph over Clemson.  That’s easier said than done against a Miami team that has the top scoring offense in the country,

“Very well-coached, physical and they are O-line and D-line driven,” is how Freeman describes the Hurricanes. “It will be a battle at the line of scrimmage.”

Freeman spent much of his time answering questions about Miami star sophomore wide receiver Malachi Toney, who already has 73 receptions for 1027 yards and 13 touchdowns.

“He was supposed to still be in high school last year,” recalls Freeman of seeing Toney in Miami’s 27-24 victory over the Irish last season. “Then you see him live and in person and you say ‘oh, my gosh!’ He is the real deal. He wasn;t known on the college level, but after that game he was.”

Many believe the Irish will try to cover Toney with All-American cornerback Leonard Moore, who was held out of the Navy game with a back issue. Last year, Moore shut down Biletnikoff winner Mekhi Lemon of USC with blanket coverage.

“It’s hard to do what Leonard did against USC,” notes Freeman. “To be a boundary corner and all of a sudden at times go play nickel, but he has that skill set. He is as gifted in his tool box as anyone I’ve been around. Mentally he can handle it and physically.”

Freeman believes one of his team’s biggest advantages could be the home field crowd at a sold-out Notre Dame Stadium.

“I hope it’s so loud when we’re on defense that it really doesn’t matter what (defensive coordinator) Coach Ash is telling the green-dot,” says Freeman of on-field communication. “I hope it’s that loud and that’s a challenge to our fans to be loud, because it impacts the game. That is a game-changer. It impacts an offense. That’s the type of environment I hope we have here at Notre Dame Stadium.”

Saturday night’s kickoff is set for 7:30. The game will be televised on NBC.

For a preview of the game, join Chuck Freeby and Angelo DiCarlo for Notre Dame Federal Credit Union’s “Irish Football Fix”, which airs at 5 pm Monday on Pulse FM (92.1, 96.9 and 103.1).