Irish Defeat Indiana 27-17 In First On-Campus College Football Playoff Game

The University of Notre Dame football team (12-1) became the first college football program to earn a College Football Playoff victory on its home field with a 27-17 victory over Indiana (11-2) in Notre Dame Stadium on Friday evening. 

Notre Dame controlled the game from the start to the finish, holding Indiana to three points in the first half, 63 total rush yards and built a 27-3 lead before the Hoosiers tacked on points late in the fourth quarter after the game was decided. 

Two of the Fighting Irish playmakers stepped up when Notre Dame needed it most. Senior Consensus All-American safety Xavier Watts snuffed out a scoring opportunity for IU with an interception and on the next play, Jeremiyah Love took off for a 98-yard touchdown run. 

Irish signal caller Riley Leonard was 22-for-32 in the contest for 201 yards, one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown. He connected with Jordan Faison for seven passes for 89 yards. 

Notre Dame will advance to face the No. 2 seed in the College Football Playoff, Georgia, in the 2025 Sugar Bowl on January 1st in New Orleans. 

It was a topsy-turvy first few minutes with both teams making big plays. Notre Dame’s defense held Indiana to a quick three-and-out on the opening possession. The Hoosiers regained the momentum quickly, however, intercepting a deflected pass on Notre Dame’s second offensive play to get the ball at the Irish 48-yard line. 

The Notre Dame defense earned a third and long, but Indiana converted with a back-shoulder throw down into the red zone. Indiana quickly got to the line for the next play, but Hoosier quarterback Kurtis Rourke overthrew his intended target over the middle and Xavier Watts intercepted his 13th career pass at the two-yard line. 

A media timeout brought the energy down just a tad in the Stadium. That was quickly changed when Jeremiyah Love took the first play through the left side of the Irish line and out-legged the entire Indiana defense for a scintillating 98-yard touchdown run.

Indiana put together two first downs on their next drive before a great pass break up by Leonard Moore on a third-and-long forced a punt. 

Notre Dame took over and put together the longest drive in the history of the College Football Playoff in terms of plays, finding paydirt after 16 plays. Beaux Collins keyed the start with a big 10-yard reception on third down after breaking a tackle short of the sticks. The next big third down was picked up by freshman back Aneyas Williams with six yards on third-and-two. 

Jadarian Price found 20 yards around the left side of the Notre Dame line behind a great double-team block by Anthonie Knapp and Eli Raridon. Jordan Faison then picked up nine yards across the middle to put the ball at the seven-yard line with one yard to go. Riley Leonard easily picked up the first down and then found Jayden Thomas on the next play after a great play-action fake wide open in the end zone for the second Irish touchdown of the day. 

The teams traded possessions before Indiana earned its first points of the game on a 34-yard field goal with 3:26 remaining in the first half. The Hoosiers made two big plays on the drive and were also helped by a defensive holding call on the Irish. Jaiden Ausberry’s big tackle on third down when Indiana tried to run and pick up the first down forced the field goal attempt. 

Notre Dame took possession of the ball with just over two minutes remaining and were able to match Indiana’s field goal before the half. Faison kick-started the drive with a diving third down catch. Leonard then scrambled on two plays to pick up another new set of downs. Three consecutive plays to Williams, an underneath check down route, a 12-yard run on third and short then a five-yard catch on third and long moved the ball just into Mitch Jeter’s range. HIs 49-yard boot cleanly split the uprights and the Irish entered the locker room with a 14-point lead. 

The Irish special teams came up with a solid return to put the Irish across midfield to start the second half. Jayden Harrison lateralled the ball to Faison, who broke up the right sidelines for a 48-yard return. The Irish could not take advantage of the field position, however, and had to punt. 

That punt was key, as Rylie Mills sacked the quarterback on the first play to bury the Hoosiers deep in their own territory. The Irish All-American defensive lineman was injured on the play, however. With the crowd at a fever pitch, freshman defensive end Bryce Young ended the drive with another sack and Indiana punted for the fourth time. 

Taking over at the 43, the Irish hoped to put six more points on the board but had to settle for just three. A late-hit out of bounds by Indiana gave Notre Dame a first down and the Irish drove as far as the four-yard line but had to settle for a Jeter 33-yard field goal. 

The Irish defense would earn a very quick three-and-out, keyed by a third down pressure in the quarterback’s face from Young and linebacker Drayk Bowen. 

Notre Dame drove to the 23 on the next drive, but came up empty when Indiana blocked Jeter’s third field goal attempt of the game and returned the block out to the 40-yard line. 

The Notre Dame defense would not relent. Indiana earned one first down over midfield but then an Adon Shuler pass break up and a Bowen quarterback pressure forced third and long. Young then pressured the quarterback yet again and Bowen destroyed a screen pass for a loss and the Hoosiers punted again. 

Faison, who finished the game with a career-high seven catches, earned a first down on a reception over the middle to ignite the next Notre Dame drive. Leonard would scramble for another first down as Notre Dame moved across the 50-yard line. 

It was then Faison time again as Leonard stepped up in the pocket and found him streaking across the field. He made the catch and fell at the one-foot line. Leonard then walked in for a one-yard touchdown one play later and a 27-3 lead. 

Indiana was able to tack on two meaningless touchdowns at the end of the game to make the score 27-17 and Notre Dame claimed a victory in the first-ever College Football Playoff Game to be played at a campus site.