SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame quickly subdued Indiana, who entered the College Football Playoffs with the highest scoring offense.
The Fighting Irish set an aggressive tone right from the start, preventing the Hoosiers from scoring until the closing moments, ultimately winning 27-17 on Friday night. With this victory, Notre Dame improved to a 12-1 record and secured a spot in the quarterfinals against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
Indiana, with an 11-2 record, came into this matchup averaging an impressive 43.3 points per game, ranking second nationally in scoring offense. However, they managed only 278 total yards for the game, with 126 of those yards coming on their final two drives after Notre Dame had established a commanding 27-3 lead. Despite averaging 438.8 yards per game, Indiana’s rushing offense was limited to a mere 63 yards, significantly below their typical output of 173.6.
“Our preparation focused on controlling the perimeter,” stated Marcus Freeman, the head coach of Notre Dame. “They rely heavily on stretch plays and screens, so we needed to be aggressive and ensure our defense tackled effectively at all levels. We aimed to impose our aggressive mindset on the game.”
Freeman praised his defense for largely executing that game plan well, contributing to their pivotal victory.
The Irish’s defensive ferocity was visibly evident during Indiana’s opening possession. On their very first play, offensive player Justice Ellison was taken down for a loss of three yards by defensive end Joshua Burnham, resulting in a swift three-and-out.
Following an interception on their next possession, Notre Dame countered with an impressive play: Xavier Watts intercepted a pass at the 2-yard line, which set the stage for Jeremiyah Love’s remarkable 98-yard touchdown run on the ensuing play.
Indiana’s offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan acknowledged Notre Dame’s defensive prowess for creating chaos and effectively stopping their offensive rhythm.
“That’s a strong defensive unit,” Shanahan remarked. “They continually disrupted our plays with various movements and employ aggressive blitzing schemes with their linebackers.”
By the end of the contest, Notre Dame achieved a notable 10 tackles for a loss, including three sacks of the quarterback, underlining their defensive dominance throughout the encounter.