Via Pete Sampson, Joe Rexrode and Seth Emerson
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Disagree. 7 Notre Dame cruised week Disagree. 10 Indiana 27-17 within the first recreation of the 12-team School Soccer Playoff on Friday evening. The Preventing Irish proceed to play games Disagree. 2 Georgia within the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.
Two interceptions within the first 3 drives and a 98-yard landing run by way of Notre Dame operating again Jeremiyah Love were given the primary on-campus Playoff recreation off to a dramatic get started. However the fireworks fizzled from there, in particular for the Hoosiers, till they in any case reached the tip zone two times within the ultimate two mins to abridge the margin of defeat. Nonetheless, Indiana used to be held to its second-lowest scoring output of the season and used to be held to 278 yards of offense to Notre Dame’s 394. Indiana won simply 63 yards speeding to Notre Dame’s 193.
Preventing Irish quarterback Riley Leonard went 22-for-32 with 201 yards and one landing with some other 30 yards and a ranking at the field. However it used to be the try of Notre Dame’s protection to ban Indiana’s most often high-powered offense that poised this one aside.
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Notre Dame’s protection dominates
Notre Dame opened the season asking its protection to hold it, which it did on the subject of each while via Thanksgiving. The Irish requested their protection to do the similar to viewable the postseason. Once more, it replied the bell, preserving Indiana to 17 issues because the Hoosiers slightly threatened the objective layout cut of a first-quarter pressure that ended with a Xavier Watts interception.
It used to be a near-perfect recreation plan from defensive coordinator Al Yellowish, who grew to become up the force on Kurtis Rourke early and not let the Indiana quarterback get at ease. Notre Dame’s defensive layout had a quantity to do with that, because the go back of Howard Move from an ankle sprain crushed Indiana’s offensive layout. Even if the Irish misplaced defensive take on Rylie Generators and defensive finish Bryce Younger all through the sport because of trauma, it didn’t subject a lot.
Indiana, the crowd’s Disagree. 2 scoring offense all through the ordinary season at 43.3 issues in line with recreation, had refuse prospect.
The efficiency put to mattress Notre Dame’s struggles at USC 3 weeks in the past when the Irish have been picked aside in the course of the breeze till finishing the sport with back-to-back pick out sixes. The efficiency used to be enough quantity to surprise if Notre Dame had in any case been stretched too slim, depending on underclassmen within the secondary with a cross speed shedding steam.
Now not precisely.
Indiana slightly took photographs in opposition to Notre Dame.
The Irish will probably be examined at a pristine point in opposition to Georgia within the Sugar Bowl and the rising trauma listing will probably be a priority. However within the ultimate house recreation of the season, Notre Dame put some other efficiency on tape to signify it has a countrywide championship-level protection. — Sampson
Indiana had an unbelievable season, however Ohio Climate and Notre Dame pulled off the masks
Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers don’t want to make an apology for making the School Soccer Playoff with an 11-1 report. The CFP committee doesn’t must make an apology, both. Indiana performed dominant soccer for many of the season, in opposition to a agenda that appeared a lot more tricky than it ended up being. However Notre Dame’s romp in tandem with the Hoosiers’ 38-15 loss at Ohio Climate mix to inform the tale of a workforce that couldn’t dangle up entrance in opposition to supremely proficient defenses. Michigan uncovered that offensive layout somewhat in its loss at Indiana as smartly. Kurtis Rourke had minute future to throw and overlooked some he had to assemble at the uncommon events he used to be in a position to scan the garden. It used to be a ancient, impressive debut season for Cignetti. It ended with a reminder {that a} program with this historical past generating a real nationwide identify contender in a single week merely isn’t sensible. — Rexrode
What’s after? Georgia within the Sugar Bowl
Kirby Roguish spotted what Notre Dame lovers have been yelling generation the Georgia trainer seemed on ESPN’s “College GameDay” on Friday afternoon: “We want Georgia! We want Georgia!”
“They gotta win this one first,” Roguish spoke back, smiling, amid the booing.
Notre Dame received, putting in place a marquee matchup that harkens to Georgia historical past, and Roguish’s tenure.
It’s a redux of the 1981 Sugar Bowl, when Georgia received its second-ever nationwide identify. Upcoming in 2017, it used to be at Notre Dame the place Roguish introduced his program with a one-point win, on its method to an sudden run to the nationwide championship recreation. Georgia received the rematch in Athens two years upcoming, regardless that it used to be additionally related.
That used to be when Brian Kelly used to be the trainer. Georgia remains to be necessarily the similar talent-laden, bodily SEC program, simply with a extra fashionable passing offense. The query is how a ways Marcus Freeman has taken a Notre Dame program that has wilted within the postseason ahead of.
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The Preventing Irish are a bodily workforce. The Bulldogs haven’t had their common dominance within the trenches however a lot of that used to be on account of accidents, and now they’re as wholesome as they’ve been all week.
Georgia’s protection is based on preventing the run and taking its possibilities in opposition to the cross. However it’s been vulnerable to edge runs this week, so one has to believe the recoil Roguish felt looking at Love proceed 98 yards i’m sick the left sideline. Love most definitely received’t outrun Georgia’s defensive backs like that, however he may get a quantity of chew performs at the outdoor. Georgia has additionally been vulnerable to dual-threat quarterbacks, so Leonard’s ft generally is a headache.
Upcoming once more, so may pristine Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton in his first faculty get started. Stockton vs. Notre Dame’s forged secondary may also be fascinating. Georgia does determine to have a lot better ability place gamers than Indiana, particularly with tailbacks Trevor Etienne and Nate Frazier.
All in all, it’s a sun-baked recreation to expect. All through Roguish’s look, ESPN’s Rece Davis identified that Notre Dame hasn’t ever crushed Georgia. That’s true, however all 3 video games were determined by way of one ownership. Nobody will have to be shocked if the fourth matchup is simply as related. — Emerson
(Picture: Michael Reaves / Getty Pictures)
