As the freezing months approach and blizzard-like conditions loom, college football fans are gearing up for an unprecedented event. Notre Dame’s iconic home field, famously watched over by the legendary Touchdown Jesus, is set to host the first-ever on-campus FBS College Football Playoff game. This historic showdown will feature No. 7 seed Notre Dame facing off against No. 10 seed Indiana in what promises to be a thrilling tournament matchup.
This is not just any match to be watched and most definitely it is not just any football match; it is war for the gladiators. Indiana, a state known worldwide for basketball, now has its Hoosiers entering the national football domain. After starting the season off with an impressive 10-0 record Indiana will again have their work cut out for them in hopes of continuing their fairy tale by defeating a historic team in Notre Dame.
Key to the Game: The Battle Up Front
Therefore, depending on the performance of its own and defensive line, when it is possing the ball, it this game’s result will be determine.
Notre Dame again has been outstanding in the number of tackles for loss as the offense line has conceded a paltry 4.17. This has seen the side post a rushing attack ranked 10th in the country, gaining an avg of 224.83 yards per outing. It surprisingly increased to 241.50 yards in the entire November, indicating their performance at the end part of the season. Jeremia Love the running back and Riley Leonard the dual threat quarterback has been a massive force to deny and any team that faces will be overwhelmed by them.
However, Indiana has just as strong a defense. With Curt Cignetti as the Hoosiers head coach, the team has been excellent in defense, recording an average of 7.17 tackles per loss rank 16th among the nation, and 2.83 per sack rank 20th in the nation. It’s one titanic energy type against another in a posture which suggests the combat will be as old-school as it gets.
There is nothing as exciting as the weather adding to the drama. As the weather in Russia promises to rise between 22 and 33 degrees with snow flurries expected to occur and with the added weather conditions, both teams will feel the heat. Most humorously, only one Notre Dame home game in history started below 22 degrees: A 1964 shutout win over Iowa.
Indiana’s Mindset: Learning from the Past
Nevertheless, Indiana posted an impressive record this season; they were humbled 38-15 by Ohio State, their one ranked opponent. Cignetti is using that defeat to make his team ready for the difficult conditions, for being the best team in the NCAA.
“I know the guys learned from that experience and will be ready for a hostile environment this time around,” Cignetti said this week. These extravagant statements, as you may remember, are just an embedded football comment. All will be resolved on the field during the game. That was said to mean: ‘I want our players to feel confident, be determined and demonstrate the best that they are capable of.’
This game is clearly am unfamiliar territory for both the teams. Both remain unbeaten and neither has played a College Football Playoff game on campus – so it is a first for the sport.
A Night for the Ages
This is where all lead up to; this is where all the attention is focused on Notre Dame Stadium. Two tough-souled teams will step on the field, facing snow and light, as well as expectations of the previous season. This game is the starting point of a new period in college football, where traditional and new playoff system are intertwined.
From a fan’s perspective, it’s the perfect game – two schools, two philosophies, two champions and an embodiment of why college football is special. In the end, there will be a creation of history in the sports history of our nation, and one team will have advanced to the next level as far as the championship races are concerned.
