In a historic matchup at Notre Dame Stadium, the Fighting Irish made headlines with an impressive 27-17 victory over Indiana, marking their first-ever College Football Playoff win. Jeremiyah Love played a pivotal role in this triumph, matching a school record with a remarkable 98-yard touchdown run—a feat that also stands as the longest run in CFP history.
The seventh-seeded Irish (12-1) extended their winning streak to 11, dominating the game against Indiana, the No. 10 seed, which concluded its season with an 11-2 record. Indiana, known for being the highest-scoring team in the playoff bracket, struggled significantly, managing only their second-fewest points of the season, with most of their scoring coming after the game had been decided.
The action started quickly, with Indiana intercepting an early pass from Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard. However, the momentum shift came swiftly when Leonard’s counterpart, Kurtis Rourke, was intercepted just four plays later. Notre Dame capitalized on this, with Love executing a stunning 98-yard sprint for a touchdown, putting the Irish ahead early.
Following that initial score, Notre Dame maintained control with a sustained 16-play drive, resulting in a touchdown pass from Leonard to Jayden Thomas, increasing their lead to 14-0. The Irish defense put in a strong performance, allowing just a single field goal until the final moments of the game.
Looking ahead, Notre Dame will advance to the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff, where they are set to face No. 2 seed Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day. While Georgia holds a 3-0 record against Notre Dame historically, they may be without starting quarterback Carson Beck due to an elbow injury sustained in the SEC championship game.
Leonard finished the game completing 23 of 32 passes for 201 yards and one touchdown, also contributing to the score with a late 1-yard touchdown run. This impressive performance earned him the title of record-holder for rushing touchdowns in a season by a Notre Dame quarterback, breaking the previous record held by Brandon Wimbush.
Despite the loss, Indiana’s season was a remarkable success, finishing with a program-record for wins and showcasing a significant turnaround under first-year head coach Curt Cignetti. The Hoosiers, who won just three games the previous year, should take pride in their achievements and potential moving forward.
With this victory, Notre Dame has solidified its position in the rivalry, now leading the all-time series against Indiana with a record of 24-5-1. The Hoosiers haven’t secured a victory against the Irish since 1950, making this matchup even more notable.
Looking forward, both Notre Dame and Indiana have bright prospects on the horizon, setting the stage for thrilling competition in the coming seasons.