As this game gets underway, it’s a chilly night with snow having fallen overnight and into the early morning. The kickoff is short but returnable, with Solomon Van Horse opting for a fair catch. In college football, big man at 6’5″, 223 lbs, hands it off to Justice Ellison, who is tackled for a three-yard loss by Joshua Burnham. The team is known for frequently moving and disguising their fronts. Leonard’s pass is intercepted by D’Angelo Powns, giving Indiana the first takeaway of the night, though they’re not in field goal range yet. Ro throws to single coverage, and despite a lot of grabbing, Elijah Serat makes an impressive catch. Quickly moving from the 17-yard line, Leonard’s next pass is intercepted by Xavier Watts, marking each quarterback’s turnover for the night. For Watts, this is his sixth interception of the year, with two tonight.
Riley Leonard and the Irish start from their own two-yard line, where Jeremiah Love breaks free for a remarkable 98-yard touchdown run. This marks the first touchdown of the 12-team playoff run. Anthony Knapp, the left tackle, blocks the All-Big Ten defender M. Kamar, creating a perfect opening for Love to exploit. With the line of scrimmage crowded, Tyson L finds a gap, and Denas Williams usually stays in to block. Leonard makes a quick set and short pass to B. Collins, who maintains his balance for a first down. The Clemson transfer, Bo Call, makes a great play, grabbing a slightly low throw and turning up the sideline for the conversion. He’s considered their top player in this position.
Leonard opts for a play-action pass, checking down to Jadarian Price, who is hit hard and falls short of the line to gain. A high snap is handled by Leonard, but Evans fumbles the ball, which is recovered by Jordan Faison. Indiana’s Leonard receives a good pocket, allowing Williams to make a lunging catch – only his eighth of the year. Operating from their 17, the team has scored on Jeremiah Love’s 98-yard touchdown run. A blitz comes right up the middle, and a wide receiver screen breaks some tackles. Despite being a smaller player, he makes a significant play between these two in-state rivals, meeting for the first time since 1991. Price finds running room on the outside and turns the corner.
Notre Dame’s offense is heavily reliant on their tight ends in the passing game. A fake leads to a touchdown for Jayden Thomas, his second of the year, as he makes his 17th catch. Notre Dame scores another touchdown as a senior from Payne County, Georgia, emerges as a star in his final season. He returned for a shot at a championship. Their co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach is praised for having a bright future, but he needs to calm his quarterback, who has been missing high all night. Justice Ellison makes a nice run, bringing Indiana across midfield, trailing behind Ohio State and Texas. A pass is batted down, nearly resulting in an interception by Donovan Heines. On third down, they attempt a run, but Jayden Sne is stopped short. Their last possession was a 16-play touchdown drive, the longest in college football playoff history in terms of plays.
Leonard completes his eighth consecutive pass to Chris Mitchell, achieving a first down with an 11-yard gain. A quick throw leads to Miles Cross being tackled by Xavier Watts. Despite pressure up the middle, Ro connects with Sarat on second and 10. A play-action pass finds Miles Price, who is pulled down by Jordan Clark after gaining 17 yards for Notre Dame. Curtis Ro recognizes Clark’s position, lined up inside and outside, allowing for an easy completion. Price breaks a tackle and lowers his shoulder. The eighth play of the drive sees movement on the line, with a direct snap to Ellison gaining just one yard. On a cold, snowy night in Bloomington three weeks ago, Indiana scores from 34 yards, putting them on the board.
Tight end Mitch Evans is the motion man. Leonard, under pressure, throws, and a diving attempt is ruled a catch by Jordan Faison for 10 yards and a significant first down. On replay review, it’s confirmed to be a catch. Leonard makes a great play, and Faison initially secures the ball, though it appears to hit the ground as he rolls over. The officials confirm there’s enough evidence for a catch. Interrupting the game, Leonard fakes and finds a running lane, securing another first down with clock-stopping action. Williams, the running back, breaks a tackle for a first down, putting them in potential field goal range.
The second half of the season saw Notre Dame’s only loss to Ohio State in Columbus. Jaden Harrison runs a reverse play with Jordan Faison, who is tackled from behind after crossing midfield, narrowly missing a touchdown. Notre Dame capitalizes on the only defender, Jir Johnson, who missed completely, allowing Faison to make a great move. The motion contract brings significant revenue to these schools. Riley Leonard’s diving catch attempt by Bo Collins is incomplete. Leonard didn’t secure his first head coaching job until age 49 after 27 years as an assistant. Curtis Ro is sacked for the first time tonight, with the team missing Jordan Botelho, who played 50 career games. Boubacar Traore would have been another key part of the front line. Miles Price gains nowhere on a trick play, and it fails.
Bryant Young, an electric edge rusher, makes a play against the right tackle, Trey Weed. At 6’7″, it’s tough for Weed to get his hands on the explosive freshman. Longtime Notre Dame leaders, Al Golden and Mike Denbrock, commend the program’s command. Jordan Faison makes a nice catch with his hands. Opponents haven’t scored as many points against Notre Dame in three years, a record held by any Notre Dame coach in their first three years. Price breaks through tackles for a nine-yard gain. A corner blitz fails, but James Carpenter records Indiana’s first sack of the night. On third down, Leonard, under pressure from M. Kamar, escapes, but a hit out of bounds on the Notre Dame sideline results in a penalty. Leonard clearly gives himself up, but a late shove leads to a personal foul and an automatic first down.
In terms of third downs, Indiana runs with Williams, who nearly reaches the two-yard mark. He fights through tackles but is eventually called down, with his knee and elbow touching the ground. A field goal attempt aims to make it a three-score game. They shift into a creative special teams formation, throwing wide to Evans, the tight end, who falls short by a yard. Coach Signetti runs down the sideline, appearing to call a timeout. Marcus Freeman, smiling, seems to have anticipated the outcome. The third quarter begins with a well-struck kick. Indiana’s offense struggles, with Jordan Clark tackling Tyson L for a loss of one. Only Michigan and Ohio State have held opponents to fewer points.
A wide receiver screen sees Keon Williams stopped three yards shy of a first down. Jeremiah Love showcases his skills with another impressive play, gaining significant yardage. Love’s stiff-arm is reminiscent of Darren McFadden. The game has come full circle, with Notre Dame reaching its peak in December. Leonard, evading Kamar, finds Chris Mitchell open, though Mitchell doesn’t realize the space around him and circles out of bounds. Questions arise about the Big 10’s strength if this performance persists. Leonard, again showing his mobility, tries to gain a block from Mitchell, who pushes him out of bounds. Leonard displays what was expected when he was recruited. A low kick is blocked by James Carpenter, with Indiana advancing the ball.
Curtis Ro connects with Miles Price across midfield, who refuses to be brought down easily. Ro completes 8 of 16 passes for 95 yards, similar to his performance against Ohio State. In double coverage, a pass is nearly intercepted. Horton, the tight end, hasn’t been targeted or caught a pass tonight. A high screen throw results in a loss, with Drake Bowen making a great defensive play. Leonard takes the play clock down to one, showing excellent coaching. A short pass to Jordan Faison reaches the 37-yard line. This is the first meeting between these teams since 1991. Leonard, sensing the rush, steps up and fires to Faison, who is marked just short of the goal line. Leonard surpasses 100 yards receiving, and Faison brings Notre Dame to the brink of another score.
On second and goal, with Notre Dame leading 20-3 and under five minutes remaining, Leonard executes a perfect fake for a walk-in touchdown, his 15th rushing touchdown of the season. Indiana collapses internally, allowing Leonard an easy path to the end zone. This victory secures Notre Dame’s spot in New Orleans. The Irish deliver a stellar performance, showcasing their superiority. The venue is one of the nation’s most iconic sports settings. Miles Price’s catch and run provide Indiana with a chance to improve the final score. Curtis Ro’s sideline pass is broken up by Jordan Clark. Coach Bob Chizik and his staff, who took over from Signetti, secured nine wins, including their bowl victory, despite losing 13 key players from the previous season. A two-point conversion to Elijah Serat is successful.
Notre Dame’s postgame analysis highlights their SEC Championship win. An onside kick is recovered by Indiana, giving them a chance. Ro, under pressure, is tripped from behind by Logan Thomas, the freshman. Curtis, the original Googler of Kurt Cignetti, completes a touchdown pass, reviving hope for the Hoos
