NCAAF · 11 months ago

Indiana’s 5 Keys to Upsetting Notre Dame in the CFP

TJ Inman

Host · Writer

5. Handle the Atmosphere
The Indiana Hoosiers admitted they struggled with the noise and atmosphere in Columbus as they lost to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Curt Cignetti said his team had difficulty following the silent count, and the offensive line was thrown off. The special teams unit made two uncharacteristic that proved fatal. Cignetti and the Hoosiers said the team learned a lot from that experience and planned to handle a hostile and noisy atmosphere much better this time. The stakes are incredibly high, and no one knows what to expect from the first-ever home College Football Playoff game, but Indiana will have to handle the moment and environment much better than they did in Columbus.

Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.
1. Protect Kurtis Rourke
The Indiana Hoosiers have done a great job protecting quarterback Kurtis Rourke this season, but it is fair to question how IU will handle a defense that can blitz with high-level athletes. Since losing starting guard Drew Evans to injury, IU struggled against the blitzes of Michigan and did not fare any better against Ohio State. They filleted Purdue, which says nothing about how IU will deal with Notre Dame's athletes. Indiana needs to give Rourke a clean pocket to execute the offense, which means a strong game from the offensive line, good blocking from the running backs, and an innovative game from offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan. If Notre Dame can consistently get into IU’s backfield and pressure Rourke, the Hoosiers will have difficulty competing with Notre Dame for 60 minutes.

Have all the intel you need? Free actionable info is one click away! Sign up for our daily newsletter, SportsGrid Daily.
2. Find Explosive Plays
Indiana will be hard-pressed to go on many scoring drives that take double-digit plays. The Fighting Irish are too good to run a dozen or more plays in a drive and not make a critical mistake. The Hoosiers must generate some explosive plays to pick up chunk yardage. That could come from runs for Ty Son Lawton, Justice Ellison, or long pass plays to any of IU’s good receivers. Explosive plays will be essential for the Hoosiers, and they have been quite good at creating them all season long.
3. Contain Irish Run Game
The marquee “matchup to watch” in this game is no mystery: Notre Dame’s outstanding running attack against IU’s elite rush defense. The Indiana Hoosiers are second in the country in yards per rush allowed, surrendering only 2.6 yards per carry. Notre Dame is second nationally, averaging 6.3 yards per rush. The Irish have a pair of outstanding running backs averaging more than seven yards per run, and quarterback Riley Leonard is a terrific runner in his own right. Which elite unit will set the tone and win this matchup?
4. Make Riley Leonard A Passer
Riley Leonard has over 700 rushing yards and 14 scores on the ground this season. After a bit of a slow start, he has been terrific for Notre Dame and seems like a perfect fit for their offensive system. Indiana’s defensive coordinator, Bryant Haines, mentioned wanting to make Leonard “pay the toll” for each rushing attempt and force him into being a passer. Leonard has only thrown 2,092 yards this season, averaging 7.1 yards per attempt. The Irish don’t have any receivers that scare opposing defenses, and IU’s goal will be to make Leonard throw as much as possible.
5. Handle the Atmosphere
The Indiana Hoosiers admitted they struggled with the noise and atmosphere in Columbus as they lost to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Curt Cignetti said his team had difficulty following the silent count, and the offensive line was thrown off. The special teams unit made two uncharacteristic that proved fatal. Cignetti and the Hoosiers said the team learned a lot from that experience and planned to handle a hostile and noisy atmosphere much better this time. The stakes are incredibly high, and no one knows what to expect from the first-ever home College Football Playoff game, but Indiana will have to handle the moment and environment much better than they did in Columbus.

Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.
1. Protect Kurtis Rourke
The Indiana Hoosiers have done a great job protecting quarterback Kurtis Rourke this season, but it is fair to question how IU will handle a defense that can blitz with high-level athletes. Since losing starting guard Drew Evans to injury, IU struggled against the blitzes of Michigan and did not fare any better against Ohio State. They filleted Purdue, which says nothing about how IU will deal with Notre Dame's athletes. Indiana needs to give Rourke a clean pocket to execute the offense, which means a strong game from the offensive line, good blocking from the running backs, and an innovative game from offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan. If Notre Dame can consistently get into IU’s backfield and pressure Rourke, the Hoosiers will have difficulty competing with Notre Dame for 60 minutes.

Have all the intel you need? Free actionable info is one click away! Sign up for our daily newsletter, SportsGrid Daily.

Indiana’s 5 Keys to Upsetting Notre Dame in the CFP

Sports Betting

Sportsbook Promos

Social Casinos