Know Your Opponent: College Football Playoff First Round Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Written By Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

College Football Playoff game week is finally here. The Hoosiers travel up to South Bend to take on the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame in the first round of the 2025 College Football Playoff. The Irish earned the 7th seed in the tournament while the Hoosiers got the 10 seed. Here is how the Irish have looked in 2024.

Head Coach: Marcus Freeman  (4th Year at Notre Dame)
Overall Record: 30-9 (.769) 4th Season
At Purdue:  30-9
Notre Dame Bowl Games: 40 (20-20), 3rd CFP Appearance
Last Year’s Record: 10-3 Won Sun Bowl
This Year’s Record: 11-1 7th Seed in CFP
Mascot: Notre Dame Leprechaun
Colors: Blue and Gold
Outfitter: Under Armour
National Titles: 11
Conference Titles: 1
Heisman Winners: 7

Things to Know

1. The Run Game is Very, Very Good

The Irish have a top 10 rushing attack nationally and a running back that should have gotten more Heisman hype than he did in Jeremiah Love. Notre Dame averaged 224 yards per game on the ground and scored a whopping 40 touchdowns on the ground. Love, who is just a sophomore, carried the ball 134 times for 949 yards and 15 touchdowns. Notre Dame will also use Love in the passing game as he had over 200 yards receiving and two scores on 22 receptions. Love appeared to hurt his knee late in the Irish’s win over USC, but all reports indicate that he will be able to play.

When Love is not in the game, Notre Dame turns to fellow sophomore Jadarian Price who ran for 651 yards and seven touchdowns. Irish quarterback Riley Leonard is also a threat with his legs. Leonard was Notre Dame’s second leading rusher with 721 yards and scored 14 touchdowns with his legs.

Indiana defensive lineman James Carpenter talked about Notre Dame’s run game last week saying that “It’s a well-rounded group, running backs are really good, very talented. I think the quarterback is also very underrated for his run game, he can really run it, too. A young, but a good o-line. All those things combined kind of play into it, but all around they’re just a good team.”

2. Defensive Line Will be a Handful and Expect Pressure

Notre Dame is expected to get their best defensive lineman back for this game in Howard Cross III after he missed the final three games of the regular season with an ankle injury. Cross has four sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss on the season while his defensive line partner Rylie Mills added 6.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss. It sounds very similar to Michigan’s defensive line which gave IU issues. Michigan’s defense had the blueprint to beat IU, which was to send pressure often and overwhelm the IU offensive line. The Hoosiers survived the Michigan attack, but were not fortunate against Ohio State when the Buckeyes timed up snaps and sent an avalanche of defenders at IU quarterback Kurtis Rourke. Purdue tried, but Purdue was terrible. Notre Dame has the talent to reproduce when Michigan and Ohio State did against the Hoosiers.

3. The Irish Excel at Taking the Ball Away

With snow and wind in the forecast ball security will be at a premium. The Hoosiers have handled poor weather relatively well in 2024, but the Irish are really good at taking the football away from opposing offenses. The Irish have forced 28 turnovers (17 interceptions and 11 fumbles. Linebackers Drayke Bowen and Jack Kiser have combined for three forced fumbles while senior Safety Xavier Watts has five interceptions. Freshman safety Adon Shuler intercepted three passes while cornerbacks Christian Gray and Leonard Moore had two each. There are playmakers all over this Irish defense.

4. Riley Leonard is a Tough Contain

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard started the year kind of slow and under a lot of scrutiny after the Irish’s loss to Northern Illinois. However, he may be the best quarterback IU has faced all season. He can get it down with his arm, but the real danger is the former Duke transfer’s feet. Notre Dame will use Leonard in the run game, but he can also create with his feet when the pocket collapses. He is fast and powerful and can get to the edge on plays that look like there should be nothing there. He’s tough to bring down as well. 

5. Red Zone Defense Will Challenge IU’s Red Zone Offense

The Irish have a top-10 red zone defense allowing scores on just 73.3-percent of their opponents’ trips inside the 20-yards line. Of their opponents 30 trips to the red zone, they have allowed 17 touchdowns and five field goals. It will be strength against strength as the Hoosiers red zone offense finished third nationally scoring on 93.9-percent of their trips. IU scored 54 touchdowns and eight field goals on those trips.