Notre Dame vs. Indiana: First Quarter Analysis

Notre Dame vs. Indiana: First Quarter Analysis

Dec 20, 2024; Notre Dame, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive player Joshua Burnham (40) reacts after a play in the first quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory attribution: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Dec 20, 2024; Notre Dame, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive player Joshua Burnham (40) reacts after a play in the first quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory attribution: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The College Football Playoff is underway and the start couldn’t have been crazier. Whether Notre Dame or Indiana wins, the win must be earned.

After the Irish defense opened the game with a three-pointer, Riley Leonard’s first pass was deflected at the line and into the hands of the Hoosiers’ D’Angelo Ponds. But just when it looked like the Hoosiers would score their first points of the game with a short field, Xavier Watts intercepted Kurtis Rourke himself near the end zone.

Even though the Irish were down to their own 2-yard line, it didn’t matter to Jeremiyah Love, who promptly set a program record with a 98-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage. Just like that, the Irish were first on the scoreboard.

The Hoosiers put together a good drive on their next possession, but were ultimately forced to punt again. The Irish didn’t have another explosive play on their ensuing drive, but it was far more calculated and led to first down after first down. They were in the red zone when the clock read zero in the first 15 minutes of the game.

Breathe easy, people. There is still a lot of football ahead of us.

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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Notre Dame vs. Indiana: First Quarter Analysis

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