The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will be the Goliaths facing the Indiana Hoosiers in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
No. 7 Notre Dame is picked as a 7.5-point favorite by Fanatics Sportsbook with a money line of -285 to advance to the second round, with the winner facing No. 2 seed Georgia.
Unlike most other college football bowl games, there are no significant opt-outs or portal player transfers here.
Indiana vs. Notre Dame odds
| team | spread | money line | total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | +7.5 (-115) | +230 | 51.5 or higher (-110) |
| notre dame cathedral | -7.5 (-105) | -285 | Less than 51.5 (-110) |
Indiana vs. Notre Dame predictions
Friday, Dec. 20, 8pm ET, ABC/ESPN
The game, to be played in South Bend, Indiana, is expected to have temperatures in the 20s and winds in excess of 15 mph.
Snow showers are also in the forecast, so snowfall could be a factor.
I don't expect either team to broadcast a game in these conditions, but No. 10 Indiana in particular runs the ball 37.9 times per game, which is 42nd-most in the FBS.
Plus, these two defenses are among the best college football has to offer.
Notre Dame is allowing 4.4 yards per play, while Indiana is allowing 4.2 yards per play.
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The Fighting Irish (11-1) ranked third in the nation with just 13.6 points per game, while Indiana (11-1) ranked sixth with 14.7 points per game.
This match features two good defenses and the possibility of bad weather, and is headed for an already high under total of 51.5.
If you hit the under with a hard edge here, it could drop as the weather forecast becomes clearer.
Pick: Less than 51.5 (-110, Fanatics)
Why trust New York Post Betting?
Erich Richter is a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu but has a black belt in mixed martial arts gambling. During football season, he proved to be a huge moneymaker for the Post in the player prop market the past two seasons. Always betting on the long shot, the return on investment from 2022 onwards is 30.15%.
