With excitement around campus, the No. 7-seeded Notre Dame football team will host the No. 10-seeded Indiana Hoosiers at home in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Friday. The last time that the two teams met was in 1991 when the Irish took the 49-27 win.
Notre Dame
The Irish are heading into the playoffs with an impressive 11-1 record, their only stumble being a shocking 16-14 upset against Northern Illinois — a result that stunned Notre Dame fans. Undeterred, the team is now focused on hosting the first round of the playoffs, eager to continue their strong season.
Key players
Riley Leonard: The senior quarterback transfer from Duke quickly made his mark on the Notre Dame offense, seamlessly integrating into the team. Leonard capped off the regular season with 14 touchdowns and an impressive 721 rushing yards. However, his work as quarterback is far from over. Known for his dual-threat capabilities, Leonard also showcased his passing prowess, amassing 2,092 yards through the air on 194 completions.
Xavier Watts: Graduate safety Xavier Watts, who was named a consensus All-American for the second straight year and earned Walter Camp Defensive Player of the week, Senior Bowl Defensive Player of the Week and Lott IMPACT Trophy Player of the Week after the USC game, excelled in helping the Irish reach the playoff this year. Watts finished with a total of 14 passes defended, nine pass break-ups, 19 assisted tackles and five interceptions. Watts also got his chance to shine on offense during the USC game with an interception and ran back a 100-yard touchdown for the Irish.
Jeremiyah Love: Sophomore running back Jeremiyah Love has been a cornerstone of the Irish offense, delivering standout performances throughout the regular season. Famous for his signature heart-shaped hand gesture after touchdowns, Love racked up an impressive 17 touchdowns, scoring in every game this season. Heading into Friday’s matchup, the dynamic sophomore also boasts 206 receiving yards.
Jadarian Price: Hailing from Denison, Texas, junior running back Jadarian Price was another key player for the Irish. On offense, Price finished with a total of seven touchdowns, but more importantly, he finished with 651 rushing yards.
Mitch Jeter: As a transfer from South Carolina, graduate kicker Mitch Jeter started off his season strong, but after suffering an injury, the rest of the season was shaky. After starting off his season well and finishing the first five games of the season with a perfect field-goal percentage, Jeter suffered a strained right hip injury during the Notre Dame-Stanford game that greatly impacted the rest of the season. Jeter finished the regular season kicking 50 percent in comparison to the start of the season when he was kicking 100 percent.
Defense
A key factor in the team's success this season has been its dominant defense, widely recognized as one of the best in college football. The Irish defense concluded the regular season with a stellar passing efficiency rating of 94.1, 28 turnovers gained and 141 points scored off those turnovers. They also contributed directly to the scoreboard with six defensive touchdowns, while racking up 17 interceptions and recovering 11 fumbles.
Offense
Notre Dame's offense also shined this season, amassing 2,698 rushing yards, 2,357 passing yards and 5,055 total yards — an average of 421.3 per game.
Indiana
The Indiana Hoosiers, also finishing the season with an 11-1 record, will face Notre Dame in the first round of the playoffs. Their sole loss came against fellow CFP qualifier Ohio State in a 38-15 defeat.
Key players
Kurtis Rourke: Redshirt senior quarterback Kurtis Rourke has been the driving force behind the Hoosiers' offense, showcasing his precision and versatility. Rourke tallied 27 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and 2,827 total passing yards, earning a reputation for his exceptional efficiency.
Justice Ellison: Next up is senior running back Justice Ellison. The senior led the Indiana backfield as he finished with 10 rushing touchdowns and 830 yards per game.
Aiden Fisher: Junior linebacker Aiden Fisher was key for the Hoosiers on defense. The junior was an All-Big Ten linebacker in his first season at Indiana, finishing the season with a total of 108 tackles.
Nicolas Radicic: Redshirt freshman kicker Nicolas Radicic scored the most for the Hoosiers, putting up a total of 96 points over the season. Radicic successfully kicked nine field goals alongside going 69-for-69 in extra point attempts.
Ty Son Lawton: A redshirt senior running back, Ty Son Lawton made his comeback this year for the Hoosiers as he finished with the second-most points of the regular season at 72. Lawson finished with 634 rushing yards, 114 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.
Offense
The Hoosiers’ high-powered offense was pivotal to their success this season, amassing 520 points and averaging 43.3 points per game. They also excelled on the ground, racking up 2,355 rushing yards and 37 touchdowns.
“They play, as I often say, with the clarity you look for,” Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said of the Hoosiers.
After both teams finished their regular seasons 11-1, Notre Dame will face Indiana in a sold-out Notre Dame Stadium on Dec. 20, starting at 8 p.m.
