Notre Dame took down Georgia 23-10 in the Sugar Bowl, punching its ticket to the Orange Bowl against Penn State. The College Football Playoff semifinals are set, with Penn State and Notre Dame facing off on Thursday, Jan. 9 and Texas and Ohio State on Friday, Jan. 10.
It was a defensive battle for most of the game, but a 17-point swing between the end of the first half and the start of the second half proved enough for the Irish to take down the two-seeded Bulldogs.
Notre Dame kicker Mitch Jeter drilled a 48-yard field goal with under a minute to play in the first half, putting the Irish up 6-3. On the first play after the kickoff, the Irish strip-sacked Gunner Stockton, taking over in the red zone with roughly 30 seconds to play in the first half. Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard found his receiver Beaux Collins in the end zone on the next play, giving the Irish a 13-3 lead at the break.
The game was busted wide open to start the second half when Jayden Harrison returned the second-half kickoff 98 yards to the end zone, giving Notre Dame a 20-3 lead early in the third quarter.
Notre Dame was held under 100 passing yards, but its run game vastly out-played UGA’s, out-gaining the Bulldogs on the ground 154-62. Georgia could move the ball through the air, as Carson Beck’s replacement, Gunner Stockton, threw for 234 and a touchdown. However, Georgia was 0 for 2 on pivotal fourth down plays, and it could not overcome the 17-point swing midway through the game.
Leonard continued to make huge plays with his legs, as he’s done all season, leading the game with 80 yards on the ground on 14 attempts. The Notre Dame defense held its reputation, forcing two fumbles for the nation’s fifth-ranked takeaway defense.
The Irish beat the Bulldogs with 52 fewer yards than Georgia, and Notre Dame’s 244 total yards was the lowest total yards in a win in College Football Playoff history. After Oregon fell to Ohio State last night, the Irish now hold the longest winning streak in the nation with 12 straight since their Week 2 loss to Northern Illinois.
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