The time has come for the College Football Playoff! The first round of the 12-team College Football Playoff kicks off on December 20th, and one of the most exciting matchups is an in-state battle! The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11-1) are set to clash with the Indiana Hoosiers (11-1). Hoosiers HC Curt Cignetti was pumped about this matchup, calling it ‘a great game for the state.’ Having Indiana and Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff? That’s huge! But Cignetti kept it real, saying, “But regardless of who we play, this is the playoffs. You win or go home, you know? And we’re in it to win it.” No time for chill vibes here; it’s all about bringing home the bacon!

When these two dominant teams from the Hoosier State square off in South Bend, who will win? While predictions can only offer you a vague idea, the victor will certainly face second-seeded Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day in the quarterfinals. The main concern at hand, though, is whether the weather will cooperate for this much-awaited Indiana-Notre Dame matchup. Will snow affect the game?

Notre Dame vs. Indiana: The weather forecast

Even though it was cold on Friday, there wasn’t much snow on the Irish campus. If there is any snow left in Michigan, it may melt this weekend as high temps reach the upper 50s by Monday. But it looks like winter will come back in time for South Bend’s football playoff game, and snow might even show up. According to both the main long-range prediction models (GFS & EURO), snow might fall during Notre Dame vs. Indiana’s clash opening on Friday.

By the beginning of the competition, snow is expected to arrive from the northwest, according to the GFS (American model) forecast. This type of snow, often called ‘system snow,’ usually happens when it’s cold but not freezing. And compared to lake-effect snow, it might not be as heavy But with the EURO (European model), things move more quickly. South Bend will have the lake-effect snow on Friday during the game as a result of this weather model’s Thursday “clipper” pass. The above situation is expected to result in cooler temperatures, stronger winds, and heavier snowfall. In this case, the weather is probably going to affect the game significantly.

So, which one’s right? Most likely, the truth will be somewhere in the middle. That being said, it’s obvious that we should be ready for the possibility of snow at Notre Dame Stadium. But what could be the weather shock rating? 

Time for a deeper look at the snow in South Bend

Further analysis of the data, however, reveals that the final outcome of “snow” is produced in several ways. As insignificant as that may appear, it will ultimately affect the severity of any snowfall for the big game. And as per weather.com, the 25% chance of precipitation increasing to nearly 50% as the game approaches suggests that snow is likely to fall with highs of 26F and lows of 14F. The forecast is for light northeastern breezes of about 5-10 mph, which would make it colder but wouldn’t significantly impact play.

As of now, for players from warmer climates, the possibility of snow and frigid temperatures may need a major adjustment. This game’s “weather shock rating” is 2/5, meaning that although chilly weather will play a role, it might not be severe enough to change the game’s outcome significantly.

But the players aren’t too worried about the snow; they’re just excited for the game! Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard even said, “That’s pretty cool, right? Makes for some cool pictures or something. I don’t really care. The snow is great.” He’s taking it all in stride.

Looks like players and fans should brace themselves for a chilly evening with the possibility of snow, which might give this playoff matchup an intriguing element of uncertainty. Are you ready to witness a historic moment in CFB playoff history?