The first game of the new 12-team College Football Playoff played out in similar fashion to so many of the semifinal games in the previous four-team iteration. Indiana, the 10-seed, was completely outmatched on the road at Notre Dame, leading to an ugly slugfest.
The Hoosiers were held to 278 yards of offense, and scored both of their touchdowns in the game's last four minutes to claw back the score to 27–17, though the product on the field was far less respectable. Notre Dame was thoroughly dominant thanks to a stifling defense and a run game that racked up 193 yards on the ground, including an incredible 98-yard touchdown by Jeremiyah Love.
