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Marcus Freeman talks Notre Dame's selection into the College Football Playoff
The Irish are in. Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman talked his team's inclusion in the 2024 12-team College Football Playoff.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - The College Football Playoff has begun. All eyes were on South Bend on Friday night.
No. 7 Notre Dame hosted No. 10 Indiana as the CFP began. The public address announcer said it perfectly.
"Millions of people are watching on TV. You get to be here."
The millions watching on TV and the 77,622 in attendance got to see what happens when Notre Dame's rugged run game met Indiana's stoic run defense. The Irish got started right away.
Notre Dame's third play from scrimmage was a 98-yard touchdown run. That set the tone and forced the Hoosiers to play from behind early on.
The Irish took care of business after that.
Leonard's 44-yard pass to Jordan Faison set up a one-yard touchdown run by Leonard that put the icing on the cake that was so sweet that two garbage time touchdowns didn't matter.
It wasn't a picture-perfect game, nor was it a blowout like Notre Dame had become accustomed to in the middle of the season, but the Irish handled the Hoosiers 27-17 on a frigid Friday.
The Irish advance to play No. 2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day.
Here are our takes on the first College Football Playoff game at a home site, as Notre Dame hosted Indiana.
Notre Dame's biggest playmakers showed up right away
Ready your trivia notebooks. The first touchdown of the expanded College Football Playoff era? A ninety-eight yard touchdown run by Jeremiyah Love.
In the words of Gus Johnson: Nintey. Eight. Big ones.
Notre Dame got to the playoff thanks to the likes of Love, Price, Leonard, Watts, Cross and its other stars. Those stars showed up right away.
Right before Love's seismic scamper to the end zone from 98 yards out that sent Notre Dame Stadium into a frenzy, Watts intercepted Rourke to end an Indiana drive that went into the Irish red zone.
Right away, Notre Dame's best players made an impact. It helped Notre Dame get ahead of Indiana in the first half, something that's helped the Irish take control of games consistently this season.
The passing game struggled early for both teams
Rourke completed just one of his first six passes. Leonard's first pass of the game was picked off.
Both quarterbacks, the two of whom were transfers with just a year of NCAA eligibility left, were not at their best to start Friday's playoff game.
Rourke, the transfer from Ohio, settled in a bit. He led Indiana down the field on a few drives. One of those drives ended with points.
To Notre Dame's credit, Leonard didn't need to throw. The running game showed out early, which allowed Leonard to take what the defense gave him in the passing game.
This included his five-yard passing touchdown to put Notre Dame up 14-0.
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - DECEMBER 20: Jayden Thomas #83 and Riley Leonard #13 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrate a touchdown against the Indiana Hoosiers during the second quarter in the Playoff First Round game at Notre Dame Stadium on December …
Notre Dame won the running game chess match
It was 6.2 yards per rush vs. 2.5 yards allowed per rush in Notre Dame's running game vs. Indiana's run defense, respectively.
Notre Dame won it by rushing for 193 yards on the ground and for 5.5 yards per carry.
That's what allowed Notre Dame to control the flow of the game. It wasn't a strangle hold. Indiana had their chances to get back in the game. But Notre Dame's defense made the plays it needed to.
Soon, Indiana was out of opportunities.
Home College Football Playoff games? Certified cool
Notre Dame has played in its fair share of high-profile games.
Notre Dame still made history on Friday night.
Friday night's game was the first-ever postseason game played at a home site and it lived up to all the expectations and more.
The energy was palpable leading up to kickoff. The tension of both teams waiting for the first big play snapped when Leonard's first throw was intercepted. It build back up against after Watts intercepted Rourke, and reached a fever pitch when Love's 98-yard touchdown run electrified the crowd.
Of course, you have to add in the fact it was an in-state rivalry. Of course, you have to add in the fact College GameDay was present. Those two factors were just added degrees of excitement the game provided well before the action even began.
It all made for an electric and historic scene that Notre Dame, nor college football, will ever forget.
This is how it will be in the forseeable future.