College Football Playoffs Preview: Indiana Hoosiers vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish – Friday, Dec. 20, 2024
On Friday Night, December 20, 2024, a pair of 1-loss teams will meet in the first round of the College Football Playoffs. The Indiana Hoosiers will take their 11-1 record into Notre Dame Stadium to face off with the 11-1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. This game will kick off at 8:00 PM and can be seen on ABC/ESPN.
Notre Dame is currently listed as a 7-point favorite over at Bookmaker, with the total on the over-under number being 51.
The winner of this matchup will move on to the Sugar Bowl and face the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2nd round of the College Football Playoffs.
Indiana Hoosiers Betting Preview
The Indiana Hoosiers enter this College Football Playoff game with just 1 loss under their belts. That sole loss came against the Ohio State Buckeyes on November 23, 2024.
The Hoosiers lost 38-15 in a game that they simply could not stop the Buckeyes offense. Was it an off game…. maybe, especially considering they came back the following week and shut out Purdue 66-0!
The strength of the Hoosiers certainly isn’t the defense but rather the offense, which has posted at least 41 points eight times this season. From a betting standpoint, the Hoosiers went 9-3 ATS this season, so a very strong team for their supporters.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Betting Preview
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish could legitimately be undefeated headed into this game had it not been for one single hiccup in the second week of the season.
In that game, the Fighting Irish lost to Northern Illinois 16-14 in one of the biggest upsets of the season. The Irish were 28 point favorites in that game and lost by 2 outright.
The Huskies dominated the time of possession in the game, having the ball 34:38 compared to the Irish with 25:22. Since that game, the Irish have rolled off 10 straight wins and have gone 9-1 ATS.
Spooky Express Handicapping Breakdown
The Irish currently hold the upper hand in terms of past victories, having won six consecutive games in the series. However, it’s been 30 years since their last match-up, a decisive 49-27 win for Notre Dame in 1991.
But don’t let the historical records mislead you; the Hoosiers are not to be underestimated.
This season, the Hoosiers have truly put their mettle to the test, with a whopping ten of their eleven victories coming by a margin of 14 or more points.
The teams’ performances against common opponent, Purdue, also indicate that this game will be one to watch. Where Notre Dame handed Purdue their worst loss in school history at 66-7, the Hoosiers stepped up and delivered an even bigger drubbing, winning 66-0 in the regular-season finale.
The Fighting Irish’s defense is a force to be reckoned with, finishing the season as national leaders in pass efficiency defense.
We think the Hoosiers may be in over their heads here when on the road, against the iconic Fighting Irish, and in the playoffs. Give us the Irish -7 here!