The 2024 College Football Playoff will begin with a snow game. Well, sort of.
With kickoff between Indiana and Notre Dame less than 12 hours away, South Bend is currently covered in snow. The latest weather update states that only a couple of inches of snow will accumulate throughout the day, but the temperatures are going to be below freezing. That means – at the very least – we’ll see Notre Dame Stadium have a nice white coating on the field. Some players on the Fighting Irish, like safety Xavier Watts, aren’t exactly excited about this Friday’s weather conditions.
“I hate the cold,” Watts said, via USA Today. “… When you’re out there, you don’t necessarily feel it when you’re just playing. You’re too locked-in and you’re too hot that it’s usually not bothering you. But yeah, I’ll be bundled up.”
Linebacker Jack Kiser, however, is amped up about the snow. He told reporters, “Bring on the snow, bring on the blizzard.”
College football fans are obviously loving the idea of a playoff game in the snow. In their defense, Notre Dame’s social media account teased them by sharing an incredible photo of the school’s football stadium.
Good morning from Notre Dame Stadium.#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/AdPyaXPuuE
— The Fighting Irish (@FightingIrish) December 20, 2024
“This is outstanding and makes tonight all that much more fun,” John Fanta said. “The campus sites aspect of the first round in the CFP is one of my favorite parts of it. True home field atmospheres this late in the season is really cool.”
“This absolutely rules. If you’re not excited about College Football Playoff games on campus, then go play intramurals, brother,” Tom Orr wrote on X.
“This is gonna be good,” Cole Cubelic tweeted.
ESPN’s computer model gives Notre Dame a 70.4 percent chance of advancing to the next round of the playoffs. As for oddsmakers, they currently have the Fighting Irish as a touchdown favorite over the Hoosiers.
The winner of this game will take on Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. That matchup will take place on New Year’s Day. Having to face Georgia isn’t exactly a prize, but the road to a national championship was never going to be easy for any of these 12 teams.
Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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