First Game-Winner for Mitch Jeter Sends Notre Dame to National Championship

Delayed gratification. 

Marcus Freeman has many sayings and graduate student kicker Mitch Jeter took those two words to heart. 

The North Carolina native hasn’t had an easy season by any means, but Jeter has never doubted himself. Jeter started the year 3-for-3 at College Station before going 0-for-2 against Northern Illinois and battling a hamstring injury for much of the season. 

On Thursday night, Jeter’s determination to chip away at rehab and rebuild his confidence paid off.

Jeter nailed a 41-yard field goal with seven seconds left in the Orange Bowl to give Notre Dame a dramatic 27-24 win over Penn State. 

“Coach Freeman talks a lot about delayed gratification,” stated Jeter. “He’s been talking like that all the way back to week two when the NIU game happened. It’s been my mindset going through an injury and I’m having delayed gratification now by giving our team a chance to go win a National Championship.” 

Notre Dame had been driving before the game-winning drive, but the Irish drive stalled, so Jeter didn’t have to change his mindset too much when Christian Gray picked off Drew Allar to give the Irish the ball around midfield. 

“We were driving and I was getting prepared to go out there and kick,” explained Jeter. “They throw an interception and that’s when it was really going to come down to a kick and let’s go make it. I was able to go out there and execute.” 

Marcus Freeman wasn’t concerned with Jeter as he lined up for the final kick. In fact, Freeman was more concerned about the protection than his kicker making the field goal. 

“I was more concerned with the protection than I am with Mitch Jeter,” Freeman said. “Our field goal protection has been a big point of emphasis the last few weeks, and that was what I kept thinking about, and when we had that time-out was reminding them of the fundamentals to execute the protection protecting the field goal.

“I leave Mitch alone. When he's in his lane, let him do what he does. But I had to make sure those big guys didn't get lost in the moment. It was about execution in that moment, and they did a great job in protection.” 

It’s the third week in a row Jeter came up big as he made 2-of-3 field goals against Indiana and then went 3-for-3 against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. 

If Jeter lacked any confidence entering the playoffs, there are no concerns at this point. 

“Every kick is different," Jeter explained. “Next week, I’m going to go out and do the same process as I’ve done every single week this season. Yes, it’s nice to go out there, make kicks and have confidence, but every kick is different. I’m going to prepare the same way for every single one.” 

And yes, Jeter would consider Thursday’s kick the biggest make of his career as it was his first game-winning kick.

“First game-winner,” stated Jeter. I had some other kicks in my career to maybe put us up in the fourth quarter.”

The next time Jeter kicks, it will be for all the marbles. And he’ll be more than ready.

“It’s an honor,” said Jeter. “To go down there to Atlanta, it’s close to home for me. It’s going to be special.” 

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