Thursday afternoon in the Superdome, Georgia fell to Notre Dame Fighting Irish as Georgia couldn’t put things together. From the absence of Carson Beck to the offensive line struggling in the game where Notre Dame applied pressure throughout the day, it was a challenging situation.
Let’s Break down the action.
Gunner Stockton made his debut as the starting quarterback for the Bulldogs and performed admirably despite receiving little support from his teammates.
Stockton completed 18 of 29 passes for 225 yards and a touchdown. Dillon Bell dropped a pass that Stockton delivered accurately, and Georgia also turned the ball over twice during the game. Additionally, Trevor Etienne fumbled while driving to score in the first half. Most of this wasn’t entirely on Stockton. Georgia has been plagued all year by drops and missed opportunities when plays needed to be made, and Thursday was no different.
Carson Beck was notably absent in this situation, as experience is crucial in these types of games, and it was evidently lacking on this day. The Irish consistently kept the Dawgs at bay, seizing every opportunity. When Notre Dame needed a boost, they received it.
Kirby Smart and his team must return to the drawing board and reassess their strategies. Georgia has not been performing at its usual level recently, and there are discussions about whether the dynasty is over. However, I am not ready to make that claim yet. Today, they clearly missed their quarterback, and it was evident. With a healthy Carson Beck, I believe this game would have had a different outcome.
We often discuss the games Notre Dame has played, labeling them significant, yet this particular game stands out as the most crucial to date. A victory over a Georgia team, which many anticipated would reach the semifinals of the college football playoff, heightens the magnitude of this win.
The play of the game occurred with 8 minutes remaining, and Georgia was about to regain possession. The Irish decided to punt but were sent back on the field on 4th and 1, converted, and utilized more clock. Ironically, in that same play, Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard used a hard count, causing two Georgia defenders to jump into the neutral zone, ultimately granting the Irish a first down.
The victory for the Irish was the first in four attempts against Georgia. Leonard was just 14-of-23 passing for 88 yards and a touchdown. His arm wasn’t what won the game, it was his legs, it made a difference in the win, rushing 11 times for 65 yards.
The Irish have waited a long time for this moment, and today, they accomplished such a remarkable feat, especially in the inaugural year of the college football playoffs.
Next weekend will feature one of the biggest sporting events of the season, with the Final Four taking place in different locations and the finals occurring in one location on Monday night.
College Football Playoff bracket, semifinal games set
The first game will feature the No.4 seed Penn State facing off against the No.7 seed Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Thursday night in the Orange Bowl on ESPN at 7:30.
The second game will feature No. 3 seed Texas facing off against No. 6 seed Ohio State on Friday night in the Cotton Bowl on ESPN at 7:30 PM.
A key statistic for this semifinal is that neither team has won a championship since 2014. Neither Notre Dame nor Penn State has won a BCS or CFP-era championship.
The biggest takeaway from both games is that the Irish will face a physically tough defense in Penn State, along with their hard-nosed defense. Ohio State will bring in some of top wide receivers in college football, including Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, and Carnell Tate. On the other side, Texas has some wideouts, such as Silas Bolden, Isaiah Bond, and Matthew Golden, making it one of the season’s best matchups.
Time to get the party started!
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