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BLOOMINGTON – In the first year of the 12-team College Football Playoff, Indiana and Notre Dame will take center stage for the first act.
The Hoosiers and Irish, seeded Nos. 10 and 7, respectively, will face one another in the first of four first-round campus-site games, with kickoff set for 8 p.m., Dec. 20, in South Bend.
It will be the programs’ first meeting in more than 30 years, since the Irish defeated IU in the 1991 season opener, 49-27. Marcus Freeman’s team overcame an early season upset against Northern Illinois to become one of the nation’s toughest ground attacks, and most dominant defenses.
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What Curt Cignetti will never do again. Lessons IU can take from OSU loss for Notre Dame.
Who does Indiana need to worry about, as it casts its eye north? Here are five players to watch
Riley Leonard, quarterback
Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) runs the ball against the Southern California Trojans during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
It starts, as is so often the case, behind center. Leonard, a Duke transfer, has been a solid passer this season, but excellent in a dual-threat capacity. He finished the regular season with 2,813 total yards, and 30 combined rushing and passing touchdowns.
Leonard was a solidly efficient passer, completing 66.2% of his throws with 16 touchdowns to just five interceptions. But he changed games with his ability to mix it up on the ground, rushing for 5.8 yards per carry across 124, with 14 touchdowns on the ground.
Notre Dame fields one of the nation’s best rushing attacks, and Leonard pulls so many of the strings. He’s probably going to be the best dual-threat quarterback Indiana…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/5-notre-dame-difference-makers-094052465.html
Author : IndyStar | The Indianapolis Star
Publish date : 2024-12-09 09:40:00
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