Irish Breakdown

Notre Dame’s Running Game vs. Indiana’s Run Defense: The CFP Showdown Hinges on This Battle

The CFP showdown between Notre Dame and Indiana will be decided by the Irish run game vs. the stout Hoosier defense.

John Kennedy

Indiana's Elijah Sarratt (13) celebrates a touchdown during the Indiana versus Purdue football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
Indiana's Elijah Sarratt (13) celebrates a touchdown during the Indiana versus Purdue football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Indiana has had a lock down run defense all season

Statistically speaking, Indiana has had the best run defense in America. Throughout the course of the regular season, the Hoosiers only allowed an average of 71 rush yards per game in 2024, just 2.74 yards per carry.

How does this compare to Notre Dame you may ask? The Irish rank 51st in the country in rush yards allowed per game surrendering 139, 3.74 yards per carry. Could this gap in this category, in weather that favors running the ball and stopping the run tip the scales in Indiana's favor?

Who will win this battle of strength vs strength?

Notre Dame is the 10th-best rushing offense in America averaging a robust 225 YPG. This number is vastly higher than what Indiana gives up by about 150 yards. Something must give. Have Indiana's run defense numbers been overinflated against bottom-tier Big Ten teams or will the Hoosiers hold the Irish well under their per-game average?

Indiana has yet to allow more than 137 rushing yards this season, it gave up over 100 yards just four times, and it gave up more than 3.7 yards per carry just three times.

Notre Dame ran for fewer than 137 twice. Once was against Louisville in a good battle decided by a touchdowns. The other was against - yeah, Northern Illinois. The Irish beat everyone else by double-digits.

The battle between Notre Dame's big three, Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price, Riley Leonard and Indiana's run defense may very well be one of the keys to the game.

This will be an epic battle between talent and toughness with everything on the line. A good old-fashioned midwestern battle is brewing.

For more Irish news & notes follow John on Twitter @alwaysirishINC, Always Irish on Youtube and or your preferred audio podcast provider.

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John Kennedy
JOHN KENNEDY

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