Will probably be a historic second on Friday as No. 7 seed Notre Dame will host No. 10 seed Indiana to kick off the 12-team Faculty Soccer Playoff period in South Bend, Indiana. Although each colleges are situated within the state of Indiana and are separated by round 200 miles, this would be the first assembly between in-state foes since 1991 and simply the thirtieth all-time.
That is additionally the primary BCS/New Yr’s Six/Faculty Soccer Playoff sport between in-state opponents since Florida State and Miami confronted off within the 2004 Orange Bowl. Not solely is the primary time that Indiana and Notre Dame have performed in over 30 years, it is simply the second time since 1959.
Notre Dame received 49-27 in 1991 and owns a 23-4-1 document within the all-time sequence. Indiana hasn’t received in South Bend since 1898, the primary time the Hoosiers and the Combating Irish met on the gridiron.
It is a large spot for Indiana to rewrite historical past because the Hoosiers take pleasure in their first Faculty Soccer Playoff look in program historical past. They comfortably made the sector as an at-large group after ending the 12 months with an 11-1 document, an particularly spectacular feat when you think about that Indiana received 9 video games whole from 2021-23.
Notre Dame is making its third Faculty Soccer Playoff look however its first underneath coach Marcus Freeman. The Irish have steadily improved annually underneath Freeman and reached new heights for his tenure in 2024 with 11 wins of their very own.
Notre Dame vs. Indiana: Have to know
Two dominant groups: Indiana and Notre Dame have been two of probably the most dominant groups in school soccer this season. The Hoosiers presently rank first within the FBS in factors per sport differential at plus-28.7, whereas Notre Dame is not too far behind in second place at plus-26.3. Indiana boasts the most important year-over-year enhance in PPG differential (up 36.5 factors from 2023) in FBS historical past. Notre Dame, in the meantime, has its largest PPG differential in any season because it outscored its opponents by a median of 26.5 factors in 1973.
Indiana in a troublesome spot: Indiana has had a really particular season, and it is spectacular that the Hoosiers received 11 video games of their first season underneath coach Curt Cignetti when contemplating this system’s struggles lately. Indiana nonetheless has but to actually recover from the hump, although, because the Hoosiers are driving a 13-game shedding streak to ranked opponents. That features a 38-15 loss to Ohio State, their solely sport in opposition to a top-25 opponent in 2024. Slim the sector to top-five opponents and Indiana’s struggles are magnified.
The Hoosiers are 1-71 all-time versus AP top-five opponents with their solely win coming in 1967 in opposition to No. 3 Purdue. Their present 45-game shedding streak in opposition to top-five opponents is the third-longest streak by any group all-time. Now Indiana has to face a Notre Dame group that has received its final six video games in opposition to ranked opponents, the longest energetic FBS streak.
One thing’s obtained to provide: Notre Dame and Indiana are two of probably the most full groups in school soccer. Each rank prime six nationally in each scoring offense and scoring protection. The Combating Irish are placing 39.8 factors on the board per sport (second in FBS) whereas permitting simply 13.6 factors per sport (third). Indiana boasts a whopping 43.3 factors per sport whereas holding opponents to only 14.7 ppg. Indiana has scored a minimum of 30 factors in 10 of its 12 video games this 12 months; Notre Dame solely allowed one regular-season opponent to eclipse that mark. This has all of the makings of a boxing match with every group taking a while to determine the opposite out.
The way to watch Notre Dame vs. Indiana dwell
Date: Friday, Dec. 20 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Notre Dame Stadium — South Bend, Indiana
TV: ABC | Stay stream: fubo (Attempt free of charge)
Notre Dame vs. Indiana prediction, picks
Regardless of the truth that Friday’s sport options two of probably the most explosive offenses in school soccer, Notre Dame and Indiana might be locked right into a slugfest — early on, a minimum of. On paper, the 2 are very related, and it may take a while to determine one another out. Although Indiana did not present effectively in its one sport in opposition to a ranked opponent this season, Notre Dame is susceptible. It was some time in the past, however this is identical Irish group that misplaced to Northern Illinois, in spite of everything. Will probably be robust for Indiana to stroll out of South Bend with a win, however I anticipate the Hoosiers to maintain it shut. Choose: Indiana +7.5
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