CATCH HISTORY: ISP prepares for gameday crowd in South Bend

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame will take on the Hoosiers Friday night and fans are headed into town with Indiana State Police urging fans to plan and have patience to ensure a successful and safe gameday.

I-80/90 and U.S. 31 are expected to see heavy congestion especially since Hoosier fans are traveling from the Bloomington area.

Sgt. Ted Bohner with ISP explains how officers are preparing for gameday.

“The way we are preparing is like we always do. We are just prepared for the traffic, we’re prepared for the people, but we have stepped it up a bit for this game. We will have some extra troopers on the toll roll especially on the Notre Dame exit,” said Bohner.

There will be heavy police presence at any major intersections before and after the game to ensure all fans traveling to and from the game return home safely.

Kickoff will start at 8 p.m., so there should be plenty of time to travel.

Officials suggest that your game preparation includes leaving early so you're not in a rush or utilize Uber or another rideshare.

“Because the last thing we want is to have a tragic story coming out with this, so people need to be a part of that planning. They need to plan ahead and plan to be safe getting to and from the game,” said Bohner.

If you plan to drink, attend a tailgate, or watch party, you should explore your options.  

Before heading out to enjoy the festivities you're encouraged to find a designated driver.