Coach Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will move on to play the Georgia Bulldogs in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal after a 27-17 victory over Indiana on Friday night.
The Fighting Irish and the Bulldogs will travel to New Orleans to play in the Sugar Bowl, which is one of four bowls serving as a quarterfinal game this season. The game will be played on Jan. 1 at 8:45 p.m. ET on ESPN. Georgia is 3-0 against Notre Dame all-time. The two teams played in the 1981 Sugar Bowl but didn’t meet again until 2017 and 2019.
The first-round game between Indiana and Notre Dame was the first time the two in-state schools played each other since 1991.
Quarterback Riley Leonard overcame an early interception to lead the Fighting Irish’s offense. Leonard complied 231 total yards and two touchdowns against Indiana. The Notre Dame defense held the Hoosiers to 63 rushing yards.
Notre Dame improved to 12-1 with the victory, matching the program’s single-season wins record (1988, 1989, 2012, 2018). Indiana finishes its season 11-2, the best mark the program has ever posted.
Check out updates and highlights from the College Football Playoff game:
Notre Dame vs. Indiana highlights
Notre Dame 27, Indiana 17
Indiana tacks on final touchdown
Indiana continues its last-minute push with a second Kurtis Rourke touchdown pass. Rourke found Omar Cooper Jr. for a 23-yard score. It was an eight-play, 50-yard drive in 59 seconds. The two-point conversation and onside kick attempt were both unsuccessful, though.
Notre Dame took a knee to run out the final 24 seconds.
Indiana finally gets in the end zone, then recovers onside kick
Quarterback Kurtis Rourke scored his first touchdown, completing a 7-yard pass to Myles Price, who got into the end zone with a good effort. Rourke then completed a pass to Elijah Sarratt for the two-point conversation. Notre Dame leads Indiana 27-11 with 1:27 left in the fourth quarter.
Indiana recovered the onside kick, so it’s not quite done yet.
Riley Leonard’s record run shuts the door on Indiana
Notre Dame put the game out of reach with quarterback Riley Leonard’s 1-yard touchdown run. Leonard set a new program record, scoring his 15th rushing touchdown as a quarterback. Brandon Wimbush held the record since 2017.
Mitch Jeter’s extra point was successful. Notre Dame leads Indiana 27-3 with 4:44 left in the fourth quarter.
Indiana blocks Notre Dame field goal
An 11-play, 50-yard drive for Notre Dame resulted in no points as Mitch Jeter’s 37-yard field goal was blocked. While it’s something for the Hoosiers to celebrate, the Fighting Irish probably aren’t too upset about having burned another 5:36 off the clock while up 17.
Boneheaded play, bailout timeout by Indiana helps Notre Dame extend lead
Indiana defensive lineman James Carpenter made a costly error in the middle of the third quarter that helped extend a Fighting Irish drive. Carpenter shoved Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard, who was already on his way out of bounds, into a referee near the sideline on third-and-4. Carpenter was called for a personal foul and the ball was moved from the 24-yard line to the 12-yard line.
Notre Dame would end the drive by settling for a field goal after Indiana’s defense managed to keep the Irish out of the end zone.
Mitch Jeter’s 33-yard field goal helped extend Notre Dame’s lead to 20-3 with 4:21 left in the third quarter. Notre Dame had dialed up a trick play on fourth down that was unsuccessful … but it was bailed out after the officials acknowledged Curt Cignetti called a timeout at the last moment. Notre Dame then simply kicked the field goal to extend its lead.
Where is CFP national championship 2025?
The 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 20, 2025 (beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET). The venue was also the host of the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2018. The Alabama Crimson Tide beat the Georgia Bulldogs 26-23 in that game.
Notre Dame kickoff return
The drive fizzled out in three plays, but Notre Dame dug into the bag of tricks for a fun kickoff return to begin the second half.
Halftime: Notre Dame 17, Indiana 3
Mitch Jeter made a 49-yard field goal with 7 seconds left in the second quarter to give Notre Dame a 17-3 lead over Indiana at halftime. The Fighting Irish’s defense nearly had a shutout in the first half before the Hoosiers settled for a field goal late in the second quarter.
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard completed 11 of 17 passes for 87 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Riley also rushed for 20 yards on five carries. Jeremiyah love rushed for 98-yard touchdown in the first quarter but finished the half with 91 yards on four carries. Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke completed 6 of 13 passes for 77 yards and had an interception, which the Fighting Irish converted into points on their following drive.
Notre Dame will get the ball to start the second half.
Curt Cignetti halftime comments
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti mentioned that it will be critical for Kurtis Rourke to make completions and help get the passing game going in the second half. Cignetti also acknowledged that the Indiana defense had too many missed tackles in the first half.
Indiana settles for field goal: Notre Dame 14, Indiana 3
QB Kurtis Rourke and Indiana seemed poised to go for it on fourth-and-4 to extend its drive before calling a timeout. Rourke remained on the sideline coming back from the break as coach Curt Cignetti decided to settle for a 34-yard field goal attempt. It was good. The Fighting Irish lead Indiana 14-3 with 3:26 left before halftime.
Who is Indiana’s offensive coordinator?
Indiana co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri will not return to the Hooisers’ program next season. He was hired as UCLA football’s new offensive coordinator earlier this month to replace Eric Bieniemy, who spent just one season with the program.
Sunseri spent some time in Los Angeles earlier this week to be introduced to the team. He will continue to coach for Indiana throughout the duration of its playoff run.
Sunseri played a big role in recruiting Kurtis Rourke to Indiana. Rourke spent five years at Ohio and was the 2022 Mid -American Conference Player of the Year.
Notre Dame 14, Indiana 0: Irish double lead with Jayden Thomas TD
Notre Dame finishes a second consecutive drive with a touchdown to take a 14-0 lead with 12:52 left in the second quarter. Quarterback Riley Leonard found Jayden Thomas for the 5-yard touchdown. It was just the second touchdown catch for Thomas this season. Mitch Jeter’s extra-point attempt was good.
It was a 16-play, 83-yard drive that took 9:08 off the clock.
End of first quarter: Notre Dame 7, Indiana 0
Notre Dame leads Indiana 7-0 at the end of the first quarter. Jeremiyah Love rushed for 97 yards and a touchdown on two carries. Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke completed 1 of 6 pass attempts for 28 yards and an interception. He threw just four interceptions during the first 12 games of the season.
Notre Dame opens scoring with 98-yard touchdown run
Notre Dame managed to turn Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke’s interception into points. Jeremiyah Love’s 98-yard touchdown run ties for the longest run in school history (Josh Adams vs. Wake Forest in 2015).
Per the NCAA’s David Worlock, Love’s run is the second-longest in college football postseason play.
Love was nearly untouched on the play.
Notre Dame creates a turnover
The Fighting Irish come up with an interception of their own, cutting off Indiana’s early momentum. Notre Dame starts with the ball near the goal line.
Indiana’s defense creates first turnover of the game
Quarterback Riley Leonard had his pass deflected and it landed in the hands of an Indiana defender for an interception.
Indiana will start with ball on a snowless field
While there was a chance for snow in South Bend, the field was clear and green at kickoff. Notre Dame kicked off and Indiana started on offense with quarterback Kurtis Rourke.
Indiana must stop Riley Leonard
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti mentioned during a pregame segment that it will be important for the Hoosiers’ defense to limit Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard’s ability to run with the ball.
When is College Football Playoff game between Indiana and Notre Dame?
The College Football Playoff first-round game between No. 10 seed Indiana and No. 7 seed Notre Dame kicks off at 8 p.m. ET at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana.
How to watch Indiana vs. Notre Dame College Football Playoff game
The College Football Playoff first-round game between No. 10 seed Indiana and No. 7 seed Notre Dame will be televised nationally on ABC and ESPN.
Live streaming is available on Fubo, which has a free trial.
Catch Indiana vs. Notre Dame FREE with Fubo
Indiana vs. Notre Dame odds, line
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are the favorites to defeat the Indiana Hoosiers in the first round of the College Football Playoff, according to the BetMGM odds on Friday afternoon.
- Spread: Notre Dame (-6.5)
- Moneyline: Notre Dame (-275); Indiana (+220)
- Over/under: 50.5
CFP first-round predictions: Notre Dame vs. Indiana
USA Today: No. 7 Notre Dame over No. 10 Indiana
Paul Myerberg writes: ‘A relatively weak strength of schedule has Notre Dame flying under the radar as a legitimate contender. The Fighting Irish have one of the best-balanced team from offense to defense and special teams. Likewise with Indiana, even if the Hoosiers’ chances of winning one or more playoff games is viewed with a high degree of skepticism. Look for Notre Dame to slow down Kurtis Rourke and the Hoosiers while punishing the Indiana defense with the nation’s third-ranked running game in yards per carry.’
ESPN: Notre Dame has 73.7% chance to win
According to ESPN’s Matchup Predictor, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish have a 70.4% chance to beat the Indiana Hoosiers in the first round of the College Football Playoff as of Friday, December 13.
The Sporting News: Notre Dame 28, Indiana 24
Bill Bender writes: ‘Indiana allowed 2.5 yards per carry this season, and that run defense will be tested by the Irish trio of Riley Leonard (721 yards, 5.8 ypc.), Jeremiyah Love (949 yards, 7.1 ypc.) and Jadarian Price (651, 7.3 ypc.). Kurtis Rourke will test an opportunistic Notre Dame secondary, and the Hoosiers will need the running game to be in order, too. It’s been a dream season for Indiana coach Curt Cignetti. Will it continue against the Irish? Notre Dame covered in each of its last seven games, but this one stays tighter.’
Fox Sports: Indiana wins
RJ Young writes: ‘The Fighting Irish will face the most complete team they’ve seen all year in Indiana. The Hoosiers have beaten 10 out of 12 opponents by double-digits and believe they are the best team in the state of Indiana. However, Al Golden’s defense has been outstanding, allowing only one team to score 35 points in a game this season.’
Bowl game picks
Here are USA TODAY Sports’ expert picks for all of the college football bowl games.
Indiana vs. Notre Dame all-time record
The Indiana Hoosiers have played the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 29 times since their first matchup in 1898. Notre Dame leads the all-time series with a record of 23-5-1.
In their most recent encounter in 1991, the Fighting Irish won 49-27.
College Football Fix podcast
The first 12-team College Football Playoff is at hand. Four first-round matchups will take place on campus with one set for Friday night and three set for Saturday.
While history will be made on the field, two of the games on Saturday will go directly against NFL broadcasts, which could create ratings that disappoint and create discussion about the future college football calendar. The games are also being amid massive player movement in the transfer portal that is impacting some teams in the playoff field.
Where is College GameDay for College Football Playoffs?
‘College GameDay’ is not taking any time off in the postseason. In fact, they are giving fans double the entertainment. The show began broadcasting Friday at 3:30 p.m. ET ahead of the Indiana vs. Notre Dame game.
They GameDay crew will return Saturday at 9 a.m. ET from Columbus, Ohio, where No. 9 seed Tennessee takes on No. 8 seed Ohio State at 8p.m. ET in the final first-round game of the College Football Playoffs.
How does College Football Playoff format work?
The 12 participating teams in the College Football Playoff bracket will be the five conference champions ranked highest by the CFP selection committee, and the next seven highest-ranked teams.
The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded one through four and receive a first-round bye. The fifth conference champion will be seeded where it was ranked or at No. 12 if it is outside the top 12 in the CFP rankings. Non-conference champions ranked in the top four will be seeded beginning at No. 5.
‘Because of this,’ the CFP warns on its website, ‘the seeding, 1 through 12, could look different than the final rankings.’
College Football Playoff bracket: CFP schedule
The first round of the College Football Playoff will begin with one game on Friday, Dec. 19 and conclude with three games scheduled for Dec. 20.
All times Eastern
FRIDAY, DEC. 20
- Game 1: No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 10 Indiana, 8 p.m. (ABC/ESPN)
SATURDAY, DEC. 21
- Game 2: No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 11 SMU, noon (TNT)
- Game 3: No. 5 Texas vs. No. 12 Clemson, 4 p.m. (TNT)
- Game 4: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Tennessee, 8 p.m. (ABC/ESPN)
CFP quarterfinals schedule
The four quarterfinal games will be played on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, with one game on Dec. 31 and three on Jan. 1. All games will be televised by ESPN.
All times Eastern
TUESDAY, DEC. 31
- Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Boise State vs. Penn State/SMU winner, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 1
- Peach Bowl: No. 4 Arizona State vs. Texas/Clemson winner, 1 p.m. (ESPN)
- Rose Bowl: No. 1 Oregon vs. Ohio State/Tennessee winner, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
- Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Georgia vs. Notre Dame/Indiana winner, 8:45 p.m. (ESPN)
CFP semifinals schedule
The semifinal games will be played on Jan. 9 and Jan. 10. Both games will be televised by ESPN.
All times Eastern
THURSDAY, JAN. 9
- Orange Bowl: Fiesta Bowl winner vs. Sugar Bowl winner, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
FRIDAY, JAN. 10
- Cotton Bowl: Peach Bowl winner vs. Rose Bowl winner, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
CFP national championship game schedule
MONDAY, JAN. 20
- Game: Orange Bowl winner vs. Cotton Bowl winner
- Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- TV: ESPN
College Football Playoff rankings
- Oregon (Big Ten champion, No. 1 seed)*
- Georgia (SEC champion, No. 2 seed)*
- Texas (No. 5 seed)
- Penn State (No. 6 seed)
- Notre Dame (No. 7 seed)
- Ohio State (No. 8 seed)
- Tennessee (No. 9 seed)
- Indiana (No. 10 seed)
- Boise State (MWC champion, No. 3 seed)*
- SMU (No. 11 seed)
- Alabama
- Arizona State (Big 12 champion, No. 4 seed)*
- Miami
- Mississippi
- South Carolina
- Clemson (ACC champion, No. 12 seed)**
*first-round bye; **automatic
Bowl seasons change: What to do about college football’s postseason?
The timing is good to think about changes. In 2026, when all the current agreements expire, the College Football Playoff is likely to expand to 14 teams. That will undoubtedly have a downstream impact on the bowls, of which there are currently 35 outside of those tied to the playoff.
The reality check here is bowl season, for all its problems, is inexorably linked to ESPN’s December programming schedule. In fact, ESPN owns and operates 17 of those games itself and has broadcast agreements with nearly all of the others. Good luck convincing college football’s most important business partner that bowl games are no longer worthwhile when they’re filling television windows over the holidays that generate more viewers than the NBA, college basketball or NHL regular season games that would likely take their place. — Dan Wolken
Read Dan Wolken’s full column here
Bowl game rankings: What are the best of the bowl bunch?
We’ll begin with a couple of stipulations. First, we’ll operate under the assumption that all the first-round playoff games, as well as the quarterfinal and semifinal bowl contests, will be appointment viewing anyway, so they won’t be included in this exercise. We’ll also add that while some matchups look attractive in terms of records and rankings, whether the games will turn out to be good hinges upon which key players actually show up. We also recognize that your interest in a particular game might differ based upon your rooting interest.
We try to put these in order of what we think will have the highest entertainment value, but circumstances can change before the games kick off. Click here for our watchability rankings for all 35 non-playoff bowls. — Eddie Timanus
Best college football quarterbacks in the transfer portal
Half of the teams in this year’s College Football Playoff are starting a transfer quarterback, including both teams in Friday night’s playoff opener between Indiana and Notre Dame. Last year’s transfer class included Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke, Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Ohio State’s Will Howard and Miami’s Cam Ward. Gabriel and Ward were Heisman Trophy finalists.
The crop of top passers in this year’s transfer cycle has much less star power but could carry a similar impact on the 2025 season. Click here for our analysis and breakdown of the best quarterbacks on the transfer market, including quarterbacks who have already signed with new schools. — Paul Myerberg
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