What Notre Dame football’s success is showing the nation MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (WISH) — The University of Notre Dame football team is heading to the College Football Playoff’s National Championship Game. The Fighting Irish (14-1) will face either Texas or Ohio St. in the title game on January 20 in Atlanta, Ga. Notre Dame punched its ticket to the championship by beating Penn St. 27-24 on Thursday night in the Orange Bowl. After the game, News 8 Sports’ Andrew Chernoff asked Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman and quarterback Riley Leonard what they hope the country is learning about their program during its current run of success on the national stage. “I hope people that see this football team that aren’t with us every day see a bunch of individuals that put ‘team’ in front of themselves,” Freeman said. “And that’s a lesson that is going to help you achieve great things in football, but great things in life. You have to be selfless to achieve anything great and we got a locker room full of selfless players and selfless coaches.” Leonard, who was named the Orange Bowl’s offensive MVP, echoed his coach’s sentiments. “I think the biggest thing is just ‘culture wins,'” Leonard said. “You see a bunch of talented guys across our locker room, but you can see that anywhere in the country. I think at the end of the day it’s which guys are putting their bodies on the line and doing everything they can for the man next to them. Nobody’s thinking about draft stocks or next year – anything like that – any type of individual glory. We’re all thinking about the man beside us. And I think we kind of proved throughout this season that culture wins and it’s a special place for a reason.” The Fighting Irish are on a 13-game winning streak since being upset by Northern Illinois inside Notre Dame Stadium back in Sept. That defeat has been the lone loss for the Fighting Irish this season. “The time you’re tested the most is when you’re at your lowest point,” Freeman said. “We lose to Northern Illinois and you got a decision: Do I want to be selfless or I’m going to put individual glory ahead of myself. And I hope the nation sees that, no matter what the situation was, this team continues to put Notre Dame in front of ‘myself.'”  Notre Dame has not won a national championship since the 1988 season.