The first game of the 12-team College Football Playoff era is also a first in over 120 years for Notre Dame. The matchup with Indiana is the first Notre Dame home game on a Friday since Nov. 30, 1900. Yes, really.
Indiana: The Hoosiers are the No. 10 seed with one loss because of a regular-season schedule that featured just one team with eight or more wins. And that team was the one that beat the Hoosiers. Indiana started 10-0 before losing 38-15 at Ohio State in a game where nothing went right for Indiana. The Hoosiers took out their frustration on Purdue the next week with a 66-0 win and has another shot to show it’s among the nation’s elite with a matchup against the Irish.
Notre Dame: Not counting Oregon, the only undefeated team in the country, the Fighting Irish have the longest win streak. Notre Dame’s Week 2 loss to Northern Illinois feels like it happened in another dimension. The Huskies turned out not to be a contender in the MAC and Notre Dame has evolved into a powerhouse ever since. Just one of Notre Dame’s 11 wins has been by one score.
Live34 updates
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 9:21 PM CST
Costly penalty for Indiana
Indiana had Notre Dame stopped on 3rd and long, but Indiana’s James Carpenter hit QB Riley Leonard as he was going out of bounds. The late hit penalty gives ND a fresh set of downs.
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 9:15 PM CST
Indiana goes nowhere
Indiana QB Kurtis Rourke gets sacked twice, leading to a punt from the Hoosiers’ own end zone.
Great starting field position for Notre Dame.
Notre Dame’s leader in sacks, Rylie Mills, was injured in that series. That could be significant for the Irish.
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 9:05 PM CST
Indiana forces a punt
Notre Dame couldn’t capitalize on the big return, failing to get a first down. It’s a punt and Indiana ball just like that.
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 9:02 PM CST
Notre Dame starts 2nd half with a bang
The Irish ran a lateral on the opening kick return of the 2nd half, and Jordan Faison took it all the way to the Indiana 47-yard line.
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 8:51 PM CST
Halftime stats
Total yards:
Notre Dame – 242 (7.1 yards per play)
Indiana – 138 (4.6 ypp)
Player stats:
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Fri, December 20, 2024 at 8:37 PM CST
Halftime: Notre Dame 17, Indiana 3
The Irish have mostly dominated on both sides of the ball. Indiana’s red zone interception looms large.
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 8:35 PM CST
Notre Dame adds a FG
Mitch Jeter’s 49-yarder hits and the Irish lead is back to 14 points.
Big spot for Jeter, who has battled injuries and struggled for most of the season.
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 8:30 PM CST
Notre Dame into IU territory
The Irish are just past midfield with 42 seconds left in the half, trying to add some points before the break.
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 8:19 PM CST
Unfamiliar feeling for Hoosiers
Indiana isn’t used to playing from behind this season.
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 8:17 PM CST
Indiana takes the FG
Hoosiers opt for the points as Nicolas Radicic hits from 34 yards to point them on the board.
Notre Dame leads 14-3 with 3:26 to play in the first half.
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 8:14 PM CST
Decision time for Indiana
The Hoosiers are facing 4th and 4 at the Notre Dame 16. They looked like they were planning to go for it before calling a timeout. What do you do?
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 8:04 PM CST
Indiana gets a stop
Notre Dame goes 3 and out and punts it away.
Hoosiers ball and the really need to get some points on the board.
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 7:59 PM CST
Indiana’s offense stalling
The Hoosiers are forced to punt for the third time already as they’re struggling to block Notre Dame’s defensive front. Ugly start for one of the nation’s top offenses
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 7:55 PM CST
Notre Dame’s TD drive was 16 plays, 83 yards and took 9:08 of game clock.
That was ND simply imposing its will on its in-state foe.
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 7:50 PM CST
Touchdown Notre Dame!
Riley Leonard finds Jayden Thomas in the back of the end zone. And the Irish double their lead to 14-0.
Just about a perfect start for the home team in the playoffs.
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 7:44 PM CST
End of 1st: Notre Dame 7, Indiana 0
After a wild first few minutes, things have settled a bit in South Bend. But Notre Dame is in the red zone and threatening to add to its lead.
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 7:42 PM CST
Notre Dame marching
The Irish have the ball again and they’ve methodically moved it into Indiana territory.
Already on the edge of field goal range.
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 7:31 PM CST
What a start!
The first 5 minutes of the first playoff game in a 12-team format featured:
Have we taken a breath yet?
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 7:23 PM CST
Notre Dame 98-yard TD!
Jeremiyah Love breaks free for a HUGE touchdown run down the sideline!
Irish strike first to take a 7-0 lead.
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 7:20 PM CST
Notre Dame gets it back on a INT!
Right after Indiana got into the red zone, Kurtis Rourke gets intercepted by Xavier Watts near the goal line. That’s Watts’ 6th INT of the season.
The Irish get it right back.
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 7:16 PM CST
Indiana interception!
Notre Dame’s first pass attempt of the game is picked off by D’Angelo Ponds after James Carpenter batted Riley Leonard’s pass into the air at the line.
Hoosiers take over at the Notre Dame 41-yard line!
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 7:13 PM CST
Indiana goes three-and-out
It’s a short possession for the Hoosiers as they have no luck moving the ball on the opening drive (they actually moved backwards three yards).
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 7:11 PM CST
The 12-team College Football Playoff is underway!!!
Indiana will have the ball first.
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 7:07 PM CST
The kickoff temperature announced as 28 degrees.
“It feels like 19,” says the Notre Dame Stadium press box announcer.
Who will win it all in the College Football Playoff? Here’s the prediction. (Taylar Sievert/Yahoo Sports)
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 6:44 PM CST
CFP players to watch, key to the game: Indiana at Notre Dame
Click the photo above to read the story. (Photos: Getty)
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 6:30 PM CST
Viewer’s guide to the new College Football Playoff
The 12-team College Football Playoff will start on Dec. 20 and end in Atlanta, Georgia on Jan. 20. (Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports)
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 6:21 PM CST
As expanded College Football Playoff arrives, the sport’s chaotic realities are on full display: ‘It is absolute bedlam’
While this should be a time for celebration with the start of the expanded College Football Playoff, the sport’s many problems are taking over public discourse. (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 6:12 PM CST
As college football evolves and parity spreads, Dabo Swinney still prefers ‘old way.’ But even Clemson’s stubborn coach is learning to adapt
Click the photo above to read the story. (John Byrum/Getty Images)
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 6:10 PM CST
Reaching the College Football Playoff is a lucrative business for schools
Click the photo above to read the story. (Melinda Meijer/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 6:05 PM CST
Ranking the potential upsets in the first round
Click the photo above to read the story. (Ben Jackson/Getty Images)
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 6:03 PM CST
Good evening folks and welcome to our live tracker for the first game of the 12-team College Football Playoff!
We still have about an hour before kickoff, so here’s what’s been going on in college football the last few days while we wait.
