ABC57 Kickoff: Anticipation builds ahead of College Football Playoff game

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- It’s almost time to catch history! One day away from what looks to be the biggest football game in the state of Indiana in history, as the Irish host the Hoosiers in the first round of the College Football Playoffs.

ABC57 Kickoff will be leading you up to game time. All eyes will be on Notre Dame vs Indiana University, it's the first of the first ever 12 team playoff game.

Notre Dame is hoping for the home field advantage, and the ABC57 Kickoff crew had the chance to talk to Marcus Freeman earlier in the week to ask him what the motivation was heading into this match-up Friday.

He’s done some interesting things like showing videos of the NIU game and showing videos of the USC game from two years ago to reminds his guys about how it felt to lose those games. He wouldn’t tip his cap and share what this year's motivation was but in his press conference earlier he reiterated those statements.

“Listen where you're talking about a College Football Playoff game, and every college football team that's in the playoffs going to have a chip on their shoulder, and they're going to be a lack of motivation for anybody," Freeman said. "So, it's still going to be about preparation and performance, and that's what matters the most.

That’s what Notre Dame hopes to be doing in front of a sold-out crowd at Notre Dame Stadium on Friday night and it helps the Irish! They two key players back this week Jeremiyah Love and Howard Cross III.

ABC57 Kickoff on Friday starts at 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. leading you right into the historic matchup between Notre Dame and the Hoosiers.