Indiana football is all set to make history as they take on Notre Dame for the first time in over 30 years. This marks the start of the first 12-team version of the College Football Playoff. Coach Curt Cignetti's first season with the Hoosiers has been a remarkable one, earning him numerous national Coach of the Year honors. Meanwhile, the Fighting Irish bounced back from an early home loss to Northern Illinois and secured a spot in the field.

Key Players and Their Stats

Kurtis Rourke leads IU's offense with an impressive 70.4% completions, throwing for 2,827 yards, 27 touchdowns, and only 4 interceptions. Riley Leonard pilots Notre Dame, completing 66.2% of his passes for 2,092 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. He also showcases his running ability with 14 rushing touchdowns. Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts has been named a first-team All-American, while Indiana pass rusher Mikail Kamara and cornerback D’Angelo Ponds have earned honors.

Offense and Defense

The IU offense, led by Kurtis Rourke, has been a force to be reckoned with. Their passing game is highly efficient, with Rourke's accuracy and ability to connect with his receivers. On the other hand, Notre Dame's defense has been solid, with key players like Xavier Watts making crucial plays. The Notre Dame defensive front is known for its pressure, which could pose a challenge to the IU offense. Indiana's pass rushers, such as Mikail Kamara, will need to step up and create turnovers to give their team an edge.

Game Details and Predictions

The No. 10 Hoosiers will visit South Bend to take on the No. 7 Fighting Irish at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. On TV, it will be broadcast on ABC/ESPN with Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analysis), and Molly McGrath (sideline reporting). Radio coverage can be heard on 105.1 FM in Bloomington and 93.1 in Indianapolis. Streaming options include SiriusXM channels 80 (national feed), 84 (Indiana), and 129 (Notre Dame), as well as Fubo.Experts have different predictions for the game. Rece Davis from ESPN believes Notre Dame will win. He thinks that if Notre Dame can get past this game and with Georgia's situation uncertain, they could potentially play for the national championship. Pete Fiutak from College Football News predicts a score of Notre Dame 27-23. He believes Notre Dame will slow down the IU pace and their running game will start to work as the game progresses. James Parks from SI Fan Nation predicts Notre Dame by more than one touchdown, citing their ability to pressure the IU secondary. ESPN's matchup predictor gives Notre Dame a 70.5% chance of winning.

Ticket Prices and Weather

For the Notre Dame-Indiana CFP game, the cheapest ticket on Stubhub is $449 for a lower level seat off the corner of an end zone, while the most expensive ticket is $1,670. The weather forecast for Friday night in South Bend is cloudy skies with a 35% chance of snow and temperatures in the 20s.In other CFP matchups, No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 10 Indiana tickets range from $449 to $1,670. No. 5 Texas vs No. 12 Clemson tickets on StubHub at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin range from $99 to $1,943. No. 8 Ohio State vs No. 9 Tennessee tickets at Ohio Stadium in Columbus range from $123 to $503. And No. 6 Penn State vs No. 11 SMU tickets at Beaver Stadium in University Park range from $57 to $159.