The No. 8 Indiana Hoosiers will take on the No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. It’s the first playoff game to kick off the 12-team College Playoff Football this weekend.
Notre Dame is a 7.5-point favorite to win this game. Hoosiers and Fighting Irish don’t often play against each other. Their last meeting was in 1991. The Fighting Irish won that game, 49-27. Notre Dame leads the series 23-4-1.
Indiana hasn't won in South Bend since 1898. The Weather will be around 29 degrees. It won’t be a factor for either team. Both teams are strangers to windy and cold weather with the potential for snow.
The crowd and atmosphere are going to be electric.
Sooners head coach Curt Cignetti is a winner. He’s won in every program he has worked for. Cignetti is coming to this game with a chip on his shoulder.
Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame have agreed to a new six-year contract through 2030.
Since taking over the program, Freeman has a 30-9 record.
Notre Dame and Indiana have had easy schedules this season. Both teams are going to play very aggressively in this game, especially since the media is not giving them the respect they deserve.
The pressure is on Notre Dame to win this game. It has been there all season long. Notre Dame has been dominant ever since they were embarrassed by Northern Illinois in Week 2.
Kurtis Rourke is in his sixth season. He played five years at Ohio. Rourke has 27 touchdowns and just four interceptions. He is a great decision-maker for this Hoosiers offense and one of the best quarterbacks in the country, especially in the Big Ten.
Rourke’s Achilles heel is that he fumbles a lot and doesn’t do well under pressure. Notre Dame's defense must apply pressure on Rourke. That’s a major key for them to win this game and the man coverage battle.
Indiana’s best wide receiver is Elijah Sarratt. Omar Cooper JR and Ke’shawn Williams are talented receivers as well. The three of them combine for 19 touchdowns and 110 receptions.
Notre Dame’s secondary will be tested, for sure. However, Notre Dame and Indiana have impeccable rush defense, so this matchup works well.
Can Indiana slow down Notre Dame’s running game?
At the quarterback position, Kurtis is more trustworthy than Riley. Riley beats you mostly with his legs. He’s not good at throwing the ball compared to Rourke.
Indiana has the advantage in this game. The Hoosiers are playing with house money.
Cignetti will have his team ready for battle. The Hoosiers have learned from their loss against the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Prediction: Indiana wins 23-20