Notre Dame, IU gets first taste of playoff football under Friday night lights

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) – Marcus Freeman spent his first two seasons as Notre Dame coach chasing the playoff dream.

This year he lives it – at home.

After closing the regular season on a 10-game winning streak and having two weeks to prepare for the most meaningful postseason game of his career, Freeman is finally ready to lead the seventh-seeded Fighting Irish against 10th-seeded Indiana on Friday .

“We’ve been in the playoffs since Week 3,” Freeman said, alluding to their postseason hopes after the stunning loss to Northern Illinois. “Every game we play is a version of a playoff game in our minds. We have to continue to understand that you don’t have any more added pressure than you’ve had the previous 10.”

Except the Irish (11-1) know this one is different.

Notre Dame hasn’t made a national championship run since 1988, its longest title drought since winning the school’s first in 1924. And unlike past playoffs, the Irish will play the first game on campus in College Football Playoff history.

How unusual will this environment be?

It’s the first time Notre Dame has hosted a postseason game, the first time Notre Dame Stadium has hosted a Friday night game (Notre Dame hosted a Friday night football game back in 1900, but not at the House that Rockne Built ) and the first time since 1990 that a Notre Dame home game has not been televised by NBC.

Still, the Irish are doing what they can to make this seem like another football week.

“The hardest thing through this whole process has probably been the finals here at Notre Dame, because it’s no joke,” quarterback Riley Leonard said. “Otherwise it’s like a few bye weeks for us. We handle it the same way. Practice has been the same, the same recipe for success.”

But the stakes are considerably higher in this matchup between the two Indiana schools that have met just once since 1959. Notre Dame won 49-27 in 1991.

No. 9 Indiana (11-1) is the most unlikely playoff participant.

Associated Press Coach of the Year Curt Cignetti turned in an eight-game turnaround in his first season with the Hoosiers, setting a new single-season school record for wins while falling just a tiebreaker short of playing for his first Big Ten title since 1967.

The Hoosiers are scoring 43.3 points, the most of any playoff team, and also have one of the stingiest defenses in the FBS. And even though Indiana failed its only test against a ranked foe, the Hoosiers believe the loss will help them do what most still think is impossible — reach the Sugar Bowl for a quarterfinal matchup against No. 2 seed Georgia.

“It was a tough loss, but I think it was really important for us to have a game like that, to be tested and know what it takes to win these games,” quarterback Kurtis Rourke said, referring to the 38-15 loss at so – no. 2 Ohio State last month. “This is a win or go home kind of setup, so we’ll have to make sure we put in our best effort.”

They may also have an important advantage – post-season experience.

Cignetti and many of his assistant coaches were together for FCS and Division II playoff teams, and Cignetti also has the national championship ring from his days as Alabama coach Nick Saban’s recruiting coordinator.

“Well, I’m kind of used to this routine,” Cignetti said. “But I don’t think it’s a big change for any of the coaches, to be completely honest with you, who are in the playoffs.”

Cross talk

Notre Dame’s defense has been one of the best all season despite a rash of injuries, including two that sidelined All-Americans early.

But one of them, defensive tackle Howard Cross III, is expected to return Friday after missing the final three games of the regular season. There’s little doubt Cross will be healthy nearly six weeks after suffering the high ankle sprain. The question is, is he rested or rusty?

“I feel physically, fine,” Cross said. “So I’m just happy, blessed to be able to get on the field.”

Staying ahead

Indiana didn’t just win games this season. It dominated the opponents.

Ten of the Hoosiers’ 11 wins were by 14 or more points, and they faced deficits in just three games and just once in the second half. But while it’s not the same story under the Friday lights, the Hoosiers insist they’re ready for any challenge.

“We know we’re supposed to be here, we know we belong, but we’ll always have that chip (on our shoulder),” Indiana receiver Elijah Sarratt said. “We remember what everyone said during the season and we remember what everyone is saying now. We’re going to go down there, focus on us and try to handle business.”

Running down a dream

The most telling matchup Friday will be Notre Dame’s matchup against Indiana’s defense.

The Irish offense has primarily centered around a three-pronged running attack that includes Leonard, Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price.

Indiana, meanwhile, leads the nation in fewest yards rushing per game. punts allowed (70.8), and the 2.46 yards per carry carries allowed are second best in FBS. Even in their loss, Ohio State rushed 29 times for just 115 yards. So the Hoosiers know where to start if they hope to advance.

“We’ve got to stop the run,” all-Big Ten linebacker Aiden Fisher said. – It is something we are very proud of here as a defense, and something that they are really good in the offensive. It will be a really good matchup.”

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