SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Thirteen hours before the first college football game of its kind, with snow lacquering everything and bitter cold keeping it there, the cars and trucks lined Angela Boulevard. Predawn arrivals seeking prime tailgating locations when the Notre Dame Stadium lots opened at 8 a.m. Hundreds of them, according to one attendant on duty. And, well, what would a historical moment for this sport be without a little embellishment?
On Friday night, the new 12-team College Football Playoff opened with its most alluring feature: a postseason game hosted on campus. Indiana visiting Notre Dame for a first-round matchup.