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Published Dec 19, 2024
Breaking down Notre Dame and Indiana
Anthony Dasher  •  UGASports
Editor

Georgia will find out its opponent for the Sugar Bowl Friday night when Notre Dame (11-1) hosts Indiana (11-1) in the first round of the College Football Playoffs.

Kickoff in South Bend is scheduled for 8 p.m. and televised on ABC.

Let's take a look below at how the two teams compare.


Comparing the Fighting Irish and Hoosiers
StatisticNotre Dame (FBS rank)Indiana (FBS rank)

Scoring Offense

39.8 (No. 3)

43.3 (No. 2)

Passing Offense

196.4 (No. 101)

265.2 (No. 29)

Rushing Offense

224.8 (No. 10)

174.6 (No. 51)

Total Offense

421.3 (No. 40)

438.8 (No. 25)

Third down percentage

48.5 (No. 12

38.3 (No. 88)

Red zone conversion scoring

Percentage

83.7 (T-74)

94 (No. 3)

Scoring Defense

13.6 (No. 3)

14.7 (No. 60

Passing Defense

157.9 (No. 3)

174 (No. 9)

Rushing Defense

138.5 (No. 51)

70.8 (No. 1)

Total Defense

296.8 (No. 9)

244.8 (No. 2)

Opponent third down percentage

30.6 (No. 7)

31.0 (No. 8)

Opponent Red Zone scoring percentage

73.3 (No. 9)

82.1 (No. 65)

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Neither Notre Dame nor Indiana will impress from the strength-of-schedule standpoint, with a No. 61 and 67 ranking, respectively.

Georgia is No. 1.

However, as we learned during the weeks leading up to the official announcement of the 12-team field, the selection committee did not seem to consider the strength of schedule much.

Nevertheless, both teams made improvements from last year.

For example, Indiana averaged 22.2 points and 332.8 yards per game last season. The Hoosiers set a school record this season with 69 offensive touchdowns, the most in FBS this fall.

Notre Dame hasn't been a slouch, either.

The Irish offense is averaging the second-most points in team history (39.8), averaging third-most yards per play at 6.7.

Defensively, the Hoosiers went from allowing 29.9 and 394.1 yards in 2023 to 14.7 ppg and and 244.8 ypg.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame held opponents to less than 300 yards per game for just the third time since 1989. The only two Irish teams to accomplish that over the last 35 years were last year's team (276.3 yards allowed) and 1996 (270 yards allowed).

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