The Notre Dame football season started with a lot of uncertainty. The season opened with a game against second-ranked Ohio State. The fighting Irish put up a good effort, but fell with a final score of 10-21. Notre Dame was expected to lose to Ohio State, however, so the loss was not detrimental to the season.

The next game ,however, against Marshall was a serious setback. Notre Dame lost to unranked Marshall 21-26, which upset many fans. During the game, starting quarterback Tyler Buchner sustained an injury that has the possibility to keep him sidelined the rest of the season. The Fighting Irish and their new head coach Marcus Freeman seemed to be reeling and moving backwards. The team desperately sought a win to get the season back on track.

The game against the University of California was the first start for quarterback Drew Pyne. Pyne had playing time during the 2021 season, where he proved that he could lead the team.

The first half had back-and-forth scoring, where it seemed that California was always ahead. This changed in the fourth quarter, when Notre Dame really asserted themselves. The Fighting Irish scored a touchdown and field goal for a sum of ten points in the fourth quarter alone, while California did not score once in the quarter.

The game was a much needed win for the team, fans, and Marcus Freeman, who had his first victory as head coach. Morale was at an all time low after the embarrassing loss to Marshall, and the win against California boosted morale. The win – especially with the second string quarterback at the helm – gives hope to the rest of the season.