It is rare for the Notre Dame football program to experience a first-time event.
However, the Fighting Irish, whose first game took place in 1887, are set to make history Friday night. No. 7 seed Notre Dame (11-1) will host No. 10 seed Indiana (11-1) in the first-ever playoff game at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind.
The winner will advance to the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff tournament, where it will take on No. 2 seed Georgia on New Year’s Day in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.
Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman told his players to stay focused as they approached the Friday game.
“It’s something I’ve been preaching to the guys, … that we’ve been in a playoff situation, really, since Week 3,” Freeman said, referring to the aftermath of an upset loss to Northern Illinois. “And we understand that. Every game that we play in is a version of a playoff game, in our minds.
“So, continue to understand they don’t have any added pressure for this one that you haven’t had for the previous 10 (games). Our guys understand that. That’s going to be the message that I continue to reiterate and that’s, ‘Just focus on the way we prepare, and we’ll handle it.'”
Indiana also is entering newfound territory as its magical season continues.
The Hoosiers have thrived in Curt Cignetti’s first season as coach. They have the best record through 12 games in school history, and they are coming off a 66-0 victory against Purdue that marked their largest win against an FBS opponent in school history.
Nobody will confuse Indiana’s football history with that of Notre Dame’s. The Hoosiers never won 10 games in a season until this year. They have not won a bowl game since the 1991 season. They have two Big Ten Conference titles — in 1945 and 1967.
Yet, under Cignetti, they have a chance to show again that this year is different.
“To me and my guys, in my mind, it’s just another game,” Cignetti said. “You prepare for this one like you prepare for all of them. I think for our players, they’re going to be excited to play and excited to prove something. …
“At the end of the day, it’s just football. The game is going to be won or lost between the white lines. I want them to go out there, fly around, have a little swag and play the way we can play.”
Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke is a big reason for the team’s confidence. He has passed for 2,827 yards, 27 touchdowns and four interceptions this season.
Justice Ellison (811 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns) and Ty Son Lawton (634 rushing yards, 12 TDs) lead the attack out of the backfield. Elijah Sarratt is the top target in the passing game with 49 catches for 890 yards and eight touchdowns.
Notre Dame is led by dual-threat quarterback Riley Leonard. He has passed for 2,092 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions and has rushed for 721 yards and 14 TDs.
Jeremiyah Love has a team-high 949 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. He injured his knee in a 49-35 victory against Southern California in the regular-season finale but is expected to play, according to Freeman.
“The past two weeks leading up until now, the preparation has been really good,” Freeman said. “You have some guys that have been able to recover.”
This will be the first meeting between the in-state programs since 1991, as well as the first postseason matchup between the programs. Notre Dame leads the series 23-5-1, including 13-1-1 in South Bend.
–Field Level Media
