SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Marcus Freeman learned the hard lessons from all those big losses as well as the inexplicable ones.
On Friday night, in the first game in college football’s new playoff era, the Notre Dame coach celebrated the most significant victory of his career — in Notre Dame Stadium with snowflakes flying and players singing the school’s alma mater.
Jeremiyah Love tied the school record with a 98-yard touchdown run on the third play of the game, Riley Leonard accounted for two more scores and the Fighting Irish held high-scoring Indiana in check, giving seventh-seeded Notre Dame its first ever playoff victory, 27-17 over the Hoosiers.
“There’s not many times in your life that you’re the first to do something, right?” Freeman said. “We’re the first group to play and win a playoff game at Notre Dame Stadium, so that’s something we’ll share for the rest of our lives.”
He and the Irish (12-1) have a day or two to savor their 11th consecutive win to tie the school record for most wins in a season — their first in four playoff tries.
But it’s only one step. Next up is SEC champion Georgia (11-2) in the Sugar Bowl and a chance to reach the semifinals as they chase their first national title since 1988.
“It’s really cool, but at the same time it’s another football game,” said Leonard, who ran for one record-breaking score and threw for another. “We’re just trying to stay alive and play as many games as we can because we love the game, love preparing for it and we love representing this university.’
If they play as well as they did against 10th-seeded Indiana (11-2), the Irish just might end the program’s longest title drought since winning their first claimed championship in 1924.
Notre Dame seized control quickly thanks to Love’s incredible early burst and they eventually ended the Hoosiers magical season despite giving up 14 points in the final 87 seconds in the same venue they nearly saw their season derailed Sept. 7 with a 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois.