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?

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.

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