Live updates and reaction as Notre Dame defeats Georgia to secure a spot in the Orange Bowl CFP semifinal
In the Sugar Bowl, Notre Dame defeated Georgia 23-10 with a 17-0 scoring surge before halftime, moving on to play Penn State in the quarterfinals.
Georgia is defeated by Notre Dame.
In the Sugar Bowl, postponed a day after the attack in New Orleans, Notre Dame defeated Georgia 23–10 to go to the semifinals of the College Football Playoffs.
Notre Dame used crucial plays to win a game where the Bulldogs outgained the Fighting Irish 294 yards to 213. Georgia committed two fumbles throughout the game, one of which prevented a possible scoring drive and the other of which allowed Notre Dame to score a touchdown. After scoring 10 points in the final 39 seconds of the first half, the Fighting Irish also returned the opening kickoff of the second half for a touchdown, completing a 17-0 run in only 54 seconds of game time.
The Fighting Irish will take on Penn State in the Orange Bowl next Thursday Jan. 9.
The Irish of Freeman are distinct.
NEW ORLEANS — Grabbing his six children, Marcus Freeman led them all to a stage encrusted with blue and white confetti. The Sugar Bowl trophy had already been raised by Notre Dame’s head coach, capping a Thursday night that required everyone and everything. Freeman then took a time to share with his family the scene that he was contracted to deliver.
The Alabama game, the Ole Miss game, and even a number of wins—Kentucky, Georgia Tech, and the second Texas game—left everyone, including those in the Georgia football program, wondering if this was a team that would continue the wild ride to another championship or if it was doomed to fail. What’s next for Georgia? NEW ORLEANS, La.
For Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden, the Orange Bowl will be a full circle moment. Golden was a standout tight end at Penn State in the early 1990s, and his greatest Nittany Lion moment was when he caught a game-winning touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter to help Penn State defeat the nation’s top-ranked team, Notre Dame, 24-21 on the road. Golden currently calls plays for head coach Marcus Freeman’s loaded, talented defense, which showed off against Georgia in New Orleans.
If Notre Dame defeats Penn State, there’s a chance the Irish will play Ohio State, where Freeman was once a standout linebacker, on January 20 with a national championship at stake.
Gunner Stockton was one of Georgia’s greatest bright spots today. Yes, he lost a crucial fumble deep in Georgia territory on one of his four sacks. Additionally, he made things more difficult for himself by frequently neglecting to check protection on the line of scrimmage, something that a more seasoned quarterback like Carson Beck, who is currently injured, might have done.
In the air, however, the sophomore performed admirably, going 20-for-32 for 234 yards and his first-ever touchdown pass. Those totals could have been even higher if Dillon Bell had not dropped a wide-open deep pass in the third quarter that may have resulted in a touchdown (Georgia later scored on the drive anyway).
Stockton will likely be on this team next season because Beck has already declared for the NFL Draft following his elbow injury sustained in the SEC Championship Game, and he showed a lot of promise against a formidable Notre Dame defense.
Notre Dame dominates ground game
In a game between two teams built around complimentary football, Notre Dame won both of those battles decisively, with the Irish amassing 154 rushing yards compared to the Bulldogs’ 62. However, Georgia came into the game with a healthy first-string running back to complement its dual-threat quarterback, while Notre Dame star Jeremiyah Love was limited to just 19 yards on six carries. Georgia outgained Notre Dame by 52 yards overall, 244 to 296.
But neither QB Gunnar Stockton (-23 yards on 10 carries, including 4 sacks) Trevor Etienne (38 yards on 10 runs) could gain much momentum on the ground, while second-string running back Nate Frazier performed well with 37 yards on just four carries. It’s a tribute to a Notre Dame defensive line playing without its best player, Rylie Mills, and lost its second-best player, Howard Cross III, to an apparent injury in the fourth quarter.
Riley Leonard deserves much of the credit on the other side of the ball for his team-high 80 yards of rushing on 14 carries. In order to eliminate the possibility of a Georgia comeback, backup running back Jadarian Price added 37 yards on 10 carries, including several crucial chunk plays in the closing stages.
Why we should be excited for Notre Dame vs. Penn State
