Notre Dame reaches College Football Playoff quarterfinals after cruising past Indiana in first round game.
No. 7 Notre Dame shut down No. 10 Indiana’s high-powered offense and ended the Hoosiers’ dream season with a 27-17 win in the debut of the 12-team College Football Playoff.
The win sends the Irish into the playoff quarterfinals in the Sugar Bowl against No. 2 Georgia. Notre Dame dominated for much of the game. Indiana scored 14 points in the final 90 seconds after the Irish had built a 24-point lead.
Hosting the opening round of the playoff in South Bend as the higher seed, the Fighting Irish outmuscled the Hoosiers with 193 rushing yards to take advantage of frigid temperatures that slowed down both passing games.
With an eye-popping start — a 98-yard touchdown by Jeremiyah Love in the first quarter that shattered the previous playoff record for longest carry — the Irish proved they could run on Indiana’s defense, which entered the postseason as the only team in the Bowl Subdivision to have allowed fewer than 1,000 yards on the ground.
Indiana’s pass rush bothered quarterback Riley Leonard, who struggled to push the ball downfield outside of a 44-yard gain to Jordan Faison that set up Notre Dame’s final score. Leonard finished 23 of 32 for 201 yards with two combined scores.
Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke went 20 of 33 for 215 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. The Hoosiers went into Friday night averaging 9.7 yards per attempt with an FBS-best 179.1 quarterback efficiency rating.
Overall, Indiana finished with 278 yards on 61 plays, with a heavy portion of that yardage coming with the game already decided.
The Irish have now won 11 in a row since an inexplicable loss to Northern Illinois in September. This year’s team is the fifth in program history to win 12 games, joining 2018, 2012, 1989 and 1988.
How to Watch, Stream First Round Games: Indiana vs Notre Dame |
CFP First Round Games Predictions, Odds: Indiana vs Notre Dame |
When does Notre Dame vs Indiana game start in CFP first round?
The No. 10 Hoosiers visit South Bend to take on the No. 7 Fighting Irish at 8 p.m. ET, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024.
What channel is Indiana-Notre Dame game on?
TV: ABC/ESPN, with Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analysis) and Molly McGrath (sideline reporting)
Radio: 105.1 FM in Bloomington, 93.1 in Indianapolis
Streaming: SiriusXM channels 80 (national feed), 84 (Indiana) and 129 (Notre Dame); Fubo
Indiana football vs. Notre Dame betting odds
via BetMGM
Favorite: Notre Dame by 7.5 points
Over/under: 50.5 points
Moneyline: Indiana +230, Notre Dame -300
Notre Dame-Indiana predictions
Rece Davis, ESPN: Notre Dame wins
Pete Fiutak, College Football News: Notre Dame 27-23
James Parks, SI Fan Nation: Notre Dame by more than one touchdown
USA Today: No. 7 Notre Dame over No. 10 Indiana
The Sporting News: Notre Dame 28, Indiana 24
Fox Sports: Indiana wins
ESPN's matchup predictor gives Notre Dame a 70.5% chance of winning.
No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 10 Indiana College Football Playoff ticket prices
The cheapest ticket, according to Stubhub, is $449 for a lower level seat off the corner of an end zone. The most expensive ticket is $1,670.
Notre Dame-Indiana weather for CFP game
Cloudy skies, a 35% chance of snow and temperatures in the 20s are forecast Friday night for South Bend.
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