Indiana
Bold Predictions for Notre Dame vs. Indiana College Football Playoff Clash
The wait is finally over as Notre Dame Stadium is just hours away from rocking as the Fighting Irish are set to host the Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff.
It’s the first game in the expanded playoff era and is of course the first playoff game to take place on a college campus at the FBS level.
Suffice to say, Notre Dame and the entire South Bend area is going to be rocking.
But what happens in the game Friday night? Can Notre Dame secure its biggest postseason win in more than a generation and advance to the Sugar Bowl to take on Georgia?
Below is how the Notre Dame on Sports Illustrated staff sees this one shaking out.
Notre Dame vs. Indiana Predictions: Nathan Erbach
The snow has already come down on South Bend and we’re unsure if it’ll be around for kickoff but a little wind almost certainly will. Notre Dame has better talent across the board and is built to better operate in these conditions. On to the Sugar Bowl we go.
Game Prediction: Notre Dame 34, Indiana 17
Bold prediction: Indiana hasn’t allowed a team to rush for more than 4.2 yards per carry on them all season and that was Charlotte in a blowout victory. They also haven’t allowed more than 137 yards on the ground. Notre Dame blows both of those out of the water.
Notre Dame vs. Indiana Predictions: Jeff Feyerer
First, Indiana. If Notre Dame controls the tempo and can run the ball, the game is theirs. The Hoosiers front seven is tough, but I’m still taking the Notre Dame offensive line. While Jeremiyah Love is the presumptive star, I think Jadarian Price and Mitchell Evans carry the offense in this game as Indiana tries to key on Love.
Game Prediction: Notre Dame 28, Indiana 16
Bold Prediction: Al Golden sends pressure after Kurtis Rourke in a way that hasn’t been done this season and Rourke looks pedestrian at best in the Irish victory.
Notre Dame vs. Indiana Predictions: Mason Plummer
Notre Dame has the better athletes at nearly every position and it shows in front of a raucous Irish crowd.
Game Prediction: Notre Dame 35, Indiana 17
Bold Prediction: Love and Price combine for 150 yards on the ground as the Irish gash Indiana from start to finish with a late touchdown drive to seal it.
Notre Dame vs. Indiana Predictions: John Kennedy
It wouldn’t surprise me at all early on in this ballgame if there’s a “feeling out” period between these two teams where each sees if they can run the ball north/south on the other. While I predict some frustrating stalemates early on, eventually Jeremiyah Love, JD Price, and Riley Leonard will all break for big plays in the run game as the Irish seize control. Defensively, Notre Dame will take control of the line of scrimmage as the game moves along and the Irish will wear Indiana down and suffocate them. Bring on Georgia.
Game Prediction: Notre Dame 31, Indiana 20
Bold Prediction: Youngster Leonard Moore jumps a flare pass in the flat and takes it home for six
Notre Dame vs. Indiana Predictions: Nick Shepkowski
Notre Dame certainly hasn’t played the run as well as the pass in 2024 but will be on high alert to defend it Friday night. Howard Cross makes a massive impact as Notre Dame controls the defensive line of scrimmage all night long. After a slow start offensively for the Irish, the wheels really get turning in the second half and are primed for a trip to New Orleans.
Game Prediction: Notre Dame 27, Indiana 13
Bold Prediction: Indiana has run for 2,083 yards on the year and averaged 4.8 yards per carry to date. The Hoosiers won’t average 2.5 per attempt on Friday night.
KOSCIUSKO COUNTY, Ind. (WSBT) — It’s fair season and a new law uncorks adult beverage sales!
The new Indiana law will go into effect July 1st, making it legal to sell alcohol at county fairs.
The Kosciusko County Fair is set to kick off in just a few weeks and Indiana is officially allowing alcohol to be sold.
The law is bringing back something that’s not necessarily new to this fair.
Here’s what you need to know
The new law will go into effect on July 1st. It officially allows county fairs to apply for fee-free permits to sell alcohol.
Officials with the Kosciusko County Fair say they are participating this year. They are implementing the same guidelines they used when they sold alcohol just at grandstand events.
The difference now is, you can walk around the grounds with your drink. But strict guidelines will be in place for purchasing a drink.
“Actually, we’ve never had any issues. Because we card everybody, so we take that seriously. We also got the ID guides so we can identify the different types of IDs,” said Sheal Dirck, Treasurer of Kosciusko County Fair.
The Kosciusko County Fair already have guidelines in place, so this was an easy transition for the fair.
They will be the only vendors selling alcohol, which will make it easier to control distribution.
The sales will also bring in more revenue.
“Hopefully it allows to keep our ticket prices where they are because right now, insurance, utilities and everything else is going sky high and it’s hard to make ends meet,” said Dirck.
However, some fairs cannot participate because of the July 1st start date, like the Pulaski County Fair, which is going on right now. Pulaski County officials said it is on the agenda for next year. Whereas other fairs are choosing to sit this year out.
“We wanted not spend some time to, to see what that really means for us. It was not a decision we wanted to rush into. But we are happy for the option of it,” said Shelly Steury, GM of Elkhart County 4H Fairgrounds.
Leaders at the St. Joseph County and Elkhart County Fairs said neither of them are selling alcohol.
The Kosciusko County Fair is the only fair that will sell alcohol in our area this year.
Indiana
‘Foul play’ suspected in death investigation on Indiana-Ohio state line, Wayne County officials say
WAYNE COUNTY, Ind. (WISH) — Police are investigating the death of a person who died in the emergency department of Reid Health in Richmond.
Wayne County Coroner Brent Meadows was notified of the death Wednesday evening, according to a media release. Evidence has reportedly indicated that foul play is involved.
Officials believe the incident may have occurred in the area of the Petro Travel Center in New Paris, Ohio, just across the Indiana-Ohio state line.
The coroner’s office said the deceased person has been transported to the Miami Valley Regional Crime Laboratory in Dayton, Ohio, for a forensic autopsy and identification.
The office is still working the locate and identify the victim’s family.
This remains an active investigation.
News 8’s Michaela Springer contributed to this report.
Braden Smith spent four seasons with Purdue basketball proving all the power conference programs who overlooked him missed out.
Now the former Boilermaker point guard has a chance to do the same in the NBA.
Smith, a Westfield native, is headed to the Pacers after Indiana traded for him when the Chicago Bulls selected him with the 38th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, a source confirmed to IndyStar.
Smith is Purdue’s third draft pick in five years, joining lottery picks Jaden Ivey and Zach Edey among a group of now 11 NBA draft selections to play at Purdue under Matt Painter.
Here’s a look at Smith’s Purdue career and what he brings to the Pacers.
Before capping a career that includes two Big Ten regular season and two Big Ten Tournament championships, along with helping Purdue end a 44-year Final Four drought, Smith broke former Duke guard Bobby Hurley’s all-time NCAA assists record.
Along the way, Smith took home the 2025 Bob Cousy Award as the nation’s top point guard in a season where he also was the Big Ten Player of the Year. A two-time consensus first-team All-American, Smith finished his Purdue career eighth in career points (1,932), third in steals (249) and has the top three assist seasons in school history that helped add to his NCAA record total of 1,103.
Smith’s knock is his 5-foot-10 1/2 height measurement, but that didn’t deter him from being one of college basketball’s top players.
What Smith lacked in height, he made up for in basketball IQ. He’s lethal with a midrange jump shot and showcased an unblockable fadeaway that allowed him to shoot over lengthier defenders. He mastered manipulating defenses while playing with marquee big men the last four seasons.
His role in the NBA likely will be not require him to be the team’s primary playmaker immediately. Smith’s awareness of that fact pushed a more defensive-minded approach in preparation for the next level. At the NBA Draft Combine in May, Smith showed he’s capable of defending elite guards.
Smith is an elite competitor who never showed to shy away from the dirty work, which is something that can help him earn NBA minutes as a rookie while trying to find his footing in an unfamiliar backup role.
Nathan Baird and Sam King have the best Purdue sports coverage, and sign up for IndyStar’s Boilermakers newsletter.
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