Old-School Notre Dame Might Out-Physical Its Way To National Title Game After Smash-Mouth Win Over Indiana

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - The first game of the 12-team College Football Playoff era was a bludgeoning that proved that Notre Dame is a legit threat to win the whole thing. Sure, Indiana was a fraud. That much was apparent the moment the Hoosiers took the field and was further confirmed when Notre Dame fans broke out a "Hoosier Daddy" chant as the clock wound down to triple zeros.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Jaylen Sneed #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates with teammates and fans after defeating the Indiana Hoosiers 27-17 in the Playoff First Round game at Notre Dame Stadium on December 20, 2024.  (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The Fighting Irish kicked them in the teeth with a three-and-out on the opening drive, did it again when it forced an interception on the second drive and continued to curb-stomp them for the rest of the 60 minutes of the 27-17 win. That score doesn’t indicate how much of a beat-down it was.

It felt like Notre Dame started to drain the clock after its first touchdown, when it went on a 16-play, 86-yard touchdown drive that gobbled up 9:08. Yes, it was that bad.

I’ve called Notre Dame the "best boring team in the country" since the Fighting Irish established their old-school identity after the Week 2 loss to Northern Illinois. They pound teams into submission by winning battles up front and controlling games from the moment toe met leather.

Never was that more apparent than this brutal stiff arm by star running back Jeremiyah Love.

Where do the Fighting Irish go from here? They could - and probably should - be heading to Atlanta on January 20 with a legit chance to win the whole thing.

They’ll draw a Georgia team that will likely be starting Gunner Stockton instead of injured star Carson Beck in the Sugar Bowl national quarterfinal. Plus, this is far from the big, bad Georgia that we’ve seen in previous years. The Bulldogs struggle to run the football, haven’t found a go-to wide receiver and tend to fall asleep at critical times.

If the Irish topple the Bulldogs, they’ll face Boise State, SMU or Penn State in the Orange Bowl national semifinal. Can any of those teams withstand the body blows that coach Marcus Freeman’s crew doles out on a weekly basis? Nope. Not a chance.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Jordan Faison #6 runs with the football during the Playoff First Round game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Indiana Hoosiers at Notre Dame Stadium on December 20, 2024. (Photo by Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

At that point, come what may in the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

This is not a normal year in college football. Every team has warts, and many - other than Oregon - have struggled to clear them up. If teams aren’t on their "A-game" against the Irish, things might get as ugly as they were on Friday night in what amounted to a victory lap inside Notre Dame Stadium.