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ESPN’s FPI predicts outcome of Indiana-Notre Dame CFP game
By Mark Kern
Published:
ESPN’s FPI is back with more predictions for the first-round matchups in the College Football Playoff. The Indiana Hoosiers travel to South Bend to take on Notre Dame with an opportunity to move on to take on the Georgia Bulldogs in a quarterfinal matchup.
This is the first time the CFP will have 12 teams, and this is 1 of 4 first-round matchups that will be played on either Dec. 20 or 21. ESPN’s FPI is giving the Fighting Irish nearly a 74% chance to win this game, leaving the Hoosiers as huge road underdogs at only 26.4%.
Not many people predicted Indiana to be in the CFP conversation at the start of the season, but the Hoosiers put together an impressive performance to earn the No. 10 seed. The only loss Indiana had was at Ohio State, and the Hoosiers won every game this season by at least 14 points except for a 5-point win against Michigan.
The Hoosiers have 1 of the best offenses in the country, as their 43.3 PPG is 2nd to only Miami. Quarterback Kurtis Rourke has put together a special season, as he has thrown for 2,827 yards, 27 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.
Notre Dame had a lot of hype entering the season, but the Fighting Irish produced the most shocking loss of the season when they lost to Northern Illinois in Week 2. However, since then, they have run the table by winning every game by at least 14 points except for a 7-point win against Louisville.
RB Jeremiyah Love (949 yards and 15 touchdowns) and QB Riley Leonard (721 yards and 14 touchdowns) have teamed up to engineer one of the most dominating rushing attacks in all of college football. On the year, Notre Dame has rushed for 224.8 rushing yards per game, which ranks 10th in the country.
