The No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish will matchup in the inaugural extended college football playoff format against the in-state rival, No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers. Here are some initial thoughts for December 20's game.
Photo by The Irish Tribune
During the selection show this past Sunday, many people believed Notre Dame got the short end of the stick. While the Irish were IDLE during conference championship week, they saw the losers of both the SEC and BIG Ten championship game slide in front of them in the rankings. This left Notre Dame hosting a home playoff game against their in-state rival, the Indiana Hoosiers, who are accustomed to cold weather.
One of the main perceived advantages of hosting a playoff game in South Bend is the weather. Typically, this would've been against a southern team unaccustomed to 20-degree weather and single-digit wind chills, but nonetheless, the Irish are instead matched up against a school just a three-hour drive away.
Knowing this, here are five initial thoughts heading into Notre Dame's matchup against Indiana.
Strength vs Strength
This one is simple. Notre Dame likes to run the ball. Indiana ranks atop the nation in defending the run. The winner of this battle will likely be the victor in this game.
Will the Notre Dame offensive line be able to push around Indiana's front seven?
Can Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price get past the initial first wave of Hoosier defenders and break long runs?
Indiana will more than likely stack the box and force Riley Leonard to beat their defense through the air. It should be interesting to see how much the weather affects each quarterback's ability to throw the football, because if neither team can have an aerial attack, the score might very well be a 13-7 game.
Pressuring Kurtis Rourke
Kurtis Rourke, the Ohio transfer portal quarterback, is the engine that makes the Indiana Hoosiers offense go. Rourke is a pocket-passer who shows limited mobility inside the pocket. In the Hoosier's lone loss to Ohio State this season, the Buckeyes were most effective while getting to Rourke and pressuring him in the pocket.
The Indiana offensive line is also the weakest facet of Curt Cignetti's offense, and Al Golden has two weeks to dial up exotic pressures to confuse the eyes of Rourke, and the protection from the offensive line.
Indiana's offense also likes to run a significant amount of RPOs, so the linebacker play of Jack Kiser and Drayk Bowen will be significant in stopping the run on early downs.
If the Irish can force Indiana into third and longs, and Al Golden can get creative on obvious passing downs, I like Notre Dame's chances in confusing the offensive line and speeding up the game through Rourke's lens.
Keep the Stands Green
Earlier today, the University of Notre Dame told its season ticket holders that the game has already been marked as a sell-out and all other tickets must be purchased through third-party sites.
In years past, especially against schools with red in their colorway, Notre Dame stadium has been painted red. First, and the most notorious instance, against Georgia (2017), then against Cincinnati (2021), and finally, the most minimal occurrence, against Ohio State (2023).
If weather conditions fail to offer a home-field advantage, Notre Dame Stadium must provide an energetic atmosphere to support the Irish. It is the first ever college football playoff game in this extended format. It is against an in-state rival. The Irish are primed for a lengthy championship run. Please Notre Dame fans, DO NOT SELL YOUR TICKETS TO THE OPPOSITION!
Getting Healthy
While Notre Dame is ineligible for a first-round bye in this extended playoff format, Notre Dame had their bye week this past week. The biggest importance during the bye week was getting healthy, and Marcus Freeman provided some good news during yesterday's press conference.
Jeremiyah Love and Howard Cross III are expected to play, but freshman linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa is OUT.
In a game that will be presumably won in the trenches, it is crucial that Cross will be available for the Fighting Irish. While Jadarian Price displayed RB1 potential against the Trojans, having Jeremiyah Love be available is the biggest luxury. As the heart and soul of Notre Dame's offense, Love's health will be a key storyline to watch.
Along with these two updates, the two-week break should also be good for Mitch Jeter to get back to 100%. It remains unclear whether Jeter has fully recovered physically from his groin injury or if his struggles are simply mental. During conference championship week, the importance of a reliable kicker was on full display, from Texas' kicker missing a field goal that would've been the difference in the SEC Championship, and Clemson's kicker hitting a 56-yarder to punch their ticket into the CFP. While the Irish don't need Jeter to hit from 55+, they need Jeter's old reliable self, like when he was kicking for Shane Beamer and the South Carolina Gamecocks.
One Game at a Time
In the grand scheme of the playoffs, it's easy to look ahead. Notre Dame fans can already think about the possibilities of going up against a Carson Beck-less Georgia team, and then getting matched up against a very beatable Penn State or Boise State squad.
Let's take this game-by-game. To get wrapped up in the national championship hype is inevitable, especially with this year's Notre Dame team, but it is even more special to enjoy the moment. There is the thrill of hosting a home playoff game in South Bend, with an opportunity to start this run off with a bang. There is also no doubt that everyone inside the Gug will take it game-by-game. Marcus Freeman, now, never lets his team look ahead or take an opponent for granted. But for the fans, enjoy the anticipation for this December 20 matchup, and don't get too strung up on looking ahead.
And one final and repetitive thought: Do not sell your tickets to the Hoosiers.
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