Indiana Hoosiers vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish 12/20/24 – The College Football Playoff first-round match between the Indiana Hoosiers (11-1) and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish is witnessing a lot of excitement as both teams have managed to end their season with identical records. The big game this Friday night at the Notre Dame Stadium is sure to be thrilling, considering both teams have very different approaches to the game. The Hoosiers’ sky-high-powered offense will go head-to-head against the balanced Fighting Irish team.
Indiana Hoosiers vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish 12/20/24
| When: | Friday, December 20, 2024, at 8:00 PM ET |
|---|---|
| Where: | Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, IN |
| TV: | ABC/ESPN |
| Stream: | Sofascore |
| Team | SP/RL | TOTAL | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoosiers | +7 (-105) | 52.5 Over (-105) | +230 |  |
| Fighting Irish | -7 (-115) | 52.5 Under (-115) | -280 | |
| ||||
Primetime playoffs.
📺 ABC/@espn
📻 https://t.co/y9CpYv9lAh pic.twitter.com/GqvAIvqz7a— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) December 20, 2024
Notre Dame is a touchdown favorite, which goes to underline that they have a more deep roster as they have been to playoffs before. Indiana at +230 moneyline has some value for punters who believe that they stand a chance to upset. 52.5 Total Points indicates that it will be a high scoring match as well as both these teams are expected to score a decent amount. The -7 spread on Notre Dame appears to be on target, as does Indiana’s woeful defense which somehow helps the team to hit overs on totals when playing away from home.
Kurtis Rourke QB vs. Riley Leonard QB
Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke seems to have come up this season as he passed for 2827 yards and threw 27 tds with just 4 interceptions. He is a potential dual threat, with the ability to complete 70.4% of his passes while also being able to average 9.9 yards on each attempt. However, he has been sacked 17 times when pressured, which can be quite a weakness when facing Notre Dame.
Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard is a quiet yet strong component of Notre Dame, passing for 2092 yards and giving away 16 touchdowns. Even though he shouldered less of the load than Rourke, completing 66.2% of his passes and managing to be sacked only 12 times due to having great composure under pressure, he was still a strong contributor. Leonard’s forte is his short to midrange accuracy and calmness, which becomes invaluable during playoffs.
Indiana Hoosiers: Offensive Firepower and Playoff Ambitions
The Hoosiers charge into the playoffs after demolishing Purdue 66-0. They are displaying their offensive prowess. Running back Justice Ellison provides some balance with 811 rushing yards and 10 TDs, while wideout Elijah Sarratt is a deep threat with 18.2 yards per catch. Indiana’s defense held up under pressure in the defeats of Michigan and Michigan State but began to show problems that would lead to their only loss of the season against Ohio State. It will be a long night for Indiana if they can’t pull off an upset against Notre Dame.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Dominance on Both Sides
The Irish’s past five games have been convincing wins; they are on average winning by 33 points across this time period. After all, running back Jadarian Price’s 7.3 yards per carry provides explosive plays, while Beaux Collins adds consistency in the receiving game. Last time the Irish played, they showcased superb defense against Florida State, allowing only 3 points to the opponent. Playing at home will give them extra confidence, and lining up offensively should not be a problem for them either during the game.
Trends
Indiana Hoosiers Betting Trends
Indiana is 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games.
The total has gone OVER in nine of Indiana’s last 11 games.
Indiana is 11-1 SU in their last 12 games.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Betting Trends
Notre Dame is 8-0 ATS in their last eight games.
The total has gone OVER in four of Notre Dame’s last five games.
Notre Dame is 10-0 SU in their last 10 games.
Indiana Hoosiers vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Betting Prediction
In this matchup, Notre Dame’s playoff history, defensive skills, and overall team depth make them the more reliable choice. The Indian offense is impressive, and it will be interesting to see how the Irish defense performs against it, but the Irish should be more than able to match Indiana’s score.
It would be worthwhile for many of the bettors to consider the Irish in this context of covering the -7 spread or even consider betting over the total of 52.5, considering the likelihood of Indiana appearing in another high-scoring road game. Putting money down for prop bets, in which Rourke’s passing yards and Leonard’s completion total could prove to be some great value bets.
Score Prediction: Notre Dame Fighting Irish 34, Indiana Hoosiers 24.
