Two 11-win teams enter but only one will walk away with a 12th and a date with Georgia in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals aka the Sugar Bowl.
Those two teams — Notre Dame and Indiana — meet at South Bend, IN’s Notre Dame Stadium at 8 p.m. on Friday night.
The Fighting Irish enter the interstate battle riding a ten-game win streak, capped by a resounding 49-35 victory over USC to close the regular season.
In that matchup, quarterback Riley Leonard completed 17-of-22 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Jadarian Price carried the ball 12 times and notched 111 yards plus a touchdown in the process.
Head coach Marcus Freeman is doing all he can to ensure the team remains vigilant.
“It’s still going to be about preparation and performance,” he shared in a press conference. “That’s what matters the most. Every game we play, you have to control your emotions. It will be an emotional game. This is a big game. We all know that. It’s still ultimately gonna come down to execution, and preparation’s gonna help you execute at a high level.”
Indiana also comes into the game amid a wave of momentum. Although Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers lost to Ohio State in the penultimate game of the season, they came roaring back in the finale and manhandled Purdue, 66-0.
Quarterback Kurtis Rourke threw six touchdown passes, receiver Elijah Sarratt caught a pair and running back Justice Ellison rushed in for one as well.
“Google me,” Cignetti has said on multiple occasions, according to the New York Post. “I win.”
To see who comes out on top in this Indy-centric showdown, here’s everything you need to know about the Notre Dame vs. Indiana College Football Playoff game, from start time and channel, to how to watch for free.
Indiana-Notre Dame date and time: When does Indiana play Notre Dame in round 1 of the College Football Playoff?
Indiana takes on Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff tonight, December 20, at 8:00 p.m. EST.
What channel is Indiana vs. Notre Dame on?
Indiana vs. Notre Dame will air on both ESPN and ABC, so if you subscribe to cable or use an antenna, just flip the channel to either of those around 8:00.
How to watch Indiana vs. Notre Dame for free:
If you don’t have cable, the only way to stream Indiana vs. Notre Dame and the College Football Playoff for free is to use a live TV streaming service with a free trial.
We recommend DIRECTV Stream, which offers a five-day free trial for new subscribers. When the trial is over, you’ll pay $86.98/month and gain access to over 90 live channels including ESPN, ABC, and TNT (where other CFB and Bowl games will air this season).
Other ways to watch Indiana vs. Notre Dame:
While Sling TV doesn’t offer a free trial, you’ll save a lot of money on a whole month of streaming rather than just five days free.
Sling TV’s Orange plan includes ESPN, and right now, you can get 50% off your first month. Instead of $40, you’ll pay $20 and get access to nearly the entire CFB Playoff and Bowl schedule before the second month payment starts.
How to Watch Indiana vs. Notre Dame from Anywhere:
If you are outside of the US or unable to watch Indiana vs. Notre Dame in your region, consider a VPN (Virtual Private Network). Whether you’re traveling or living abroad, using a VPN allows you to stream live TV and your favorite shows and movies using your usual streaming services, without any restrictions. A VPN lets you change the IP address on your device so that you can access your favorite apps and websites whether you’re in the UK, Canada, Mexico, or anywhere in the world.
Using a VPN is Easy…
- Choose a VPN that best fits your needs
- Download the software on your device
- Select a country as your new virtual location
- Log into whichever streaming service is carrying the title and start watching your favorite shows and movies from anywhere
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Where is today’s Indiana-Notre Dame game being played?
The all-Indiana matchup will be played at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, IN.
Indiana-Notre Dame broadcast team:
Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, and Molly McGrath are the broadcast team calling the Indiana vs. Notre Dame playoff game.
College Football Playoff schedule:
The first playoff round will continue tomorrow with three more Round 1 games. The winner of today’s Indiana-Notre Dame game will advance to the Sugar Bowl on January 1, where they’ll face Georgia.
First round:
- No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State, December 21 at 12:00 p.m. EST (TNT/Max)
- No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas, December 21 at 4:00 p.m. EST (TNT/Max)
- No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State, December 21 at 8:00 p.m. EST (ABC/ESPN)
Quarterfinals:
- Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Boise State vs. No. 6/No. 11 winner, December 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Peach Bowl: No. 4 Arizona State vs. No. 5/No. 12 winner, January 1 at 1:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Rose Bowl: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 8/No. 9 winner, January 1 at 5:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 7/No. 10 winner, January 1 at 8:45 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Semifinals:
- Orange Bowl, January 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Cottom Bowl, January 10 at 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
National Championship:
- January 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Writer/Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping and New York Post’s streaming property, Decider. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on each streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. Prior to joining Decider and New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews
