SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The College Football Playoff kicks off this Friday at Notre Dame Stadium, where fans will have to contend with some seriously cold conditions. With wind chill values pushing temperatures into the teeth-chattering teens, it’ll be a test for both players and supporters.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, actual temperatures will hover in the 20s throughout the Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s clash with the Indiana Hoosiers. But that wind chill is going to make it feel a brisk 10 degrees colder—a real icebox scenario brought on by a swift-moving storm system that began its journey over southern Canada.
This system barreled through the Midwest, dropping 3-6 inches of snow on average and leaving a wake of frigid chaos. Major airports like Minneapolis-St. Paul International, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County, and Chicago’s O’Hare faced numerous flights being delayed and vehicular crashes were rife as the storm made its trek.
Now, while we won’t see more of the white stuff falling during the game itself—as most of the storm’s precipitation will have moved out to the east—northern Indiana’s got a fresh blanket of 1-3 inches, courtesy of the clipper. For those navigating to the game, watch out for that potential lake-effect snow along the Great Lakes’ immediate coastlines. Good news for South Bend, though, as it’s just far enough away from Lake Michigan at about 35 miles to probably dodge that bullet.
For the thousands trudging through turnstiles, the real adversary is hypothermia or frostbite. When icy winds suck heat away faster than your body can replace it, you’re in the risk zone for these serious conditions. The recipe for staying warm? Pile on those loose, cozy layers, grab a hat and scarf, and maybe skip the alcohol and caffeine for the night—both can throttle down your body’s ability to stay warm.
Looking beyond South Bend, it seems the chilly conditions will be a common theme this weekend as games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania, and Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, are forecasted to experience similarly icy fates. All this as a cold spell rolls out just before the Christmas festivities begin.
For both teams, this upcoming game represents a plunge into unfamiliar terrain. Having played their 2024 season largely in warmer climates, grappling with Friday’s chill will be a new challenge. But the stakes are high—the winner will punch their ticket to the much balmier Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025.
