The No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs (11-2, 6-2) play the No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-1) in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the Sugar Bowl. The Jan. 1 game, which is a College Football Playoff quarterfinal, will kickoff at 8:45 p.m. ET and will be televised on ESPN.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart is 2-0 in his career against Notre Dame with wins over Brian Kelly’s Fighting Irish in 2017 and 2019. Now, Notre Dame is in the third season under Marcus Freeman, who helped the Fighting Irish secure their first playoff win in school history in the first round against the No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers.
Georgia is slight favorites in the Sugar Bowl, but the Bulldogs will be without starting quarterback Carson Beck. Notre Dame, who has won 11 straight games, has an excellent opportunity to upset the Bulldogs and advance to the playoff semifinals.
Let’s take a look at this week’s edition of “Behind Enemy Lines” with Michael Chen of Fighting Irish Wire.
Notre Dame’s vibe entering Sugar Bowl
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
How do Notre Dame fans and media feel going into the Sugar Bowl?
They feel fairly confident, especially due to the Bulldogs missing Carson Beck. Notre Dame is missing a few key players, but they’ve dealt with injuries all season and have overcome them. The Irish have been playing their best football as of late, but this is the toughest challenge of the season.
On Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
How do you evaluate Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard?
At the beginning of the year, this wouldn’t be a glowing response, but Leonard has made big improvements throwing the ball over the course of the year. He’s not going to sling it for 300-yards, but he’s effective enough for the defense to have to respect the passing game. Leonard’s running ability and pocket presence will be key, as he can move the chains with his legs.
On Notre Dame’s shocking loss to Northern Illinois
South Bend Tribune
Notre Dame’s season got off to a great start at Texas A&M and then the Fighting Irish lost to Northern Illinois. What happened?
A wake-up call. It’s pretty simple to see that they didn’t take NIU as seriously as they should have. It was a game that you look over on the other sidelines and assume an easy win. The team has learned from that mistake and has changed their mentality, which is why they are on an 11-game winning streak.
Notre Dame’s biggest strength
Rylie Mills of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish is out for the Sugar Bowl. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
What is Notre Dame’s biggest strength?
The defense is the Irish’s biggest strength, but after losing Rylie Mills, the defensive line depth will be tested once more. It looks like Gabriel Rubio will step into the starting lineup, but expect Donovan Hinish to get some run as well.
Notre Dame’s biggest weakness
(Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
What is Notre Dame’s biggest weakness?
The top weakness is the passing game, as there isn’t one player that really strikes fear into an opposing defense. Wide receiver Jordan Faison showed up against Indiana, but that seems like an aberration.
Notre Dame’s best player
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Who is Notre Dame’s best player?
This one is easy, it’s running back Jeremiyah Love. He didn’t get much national attention this fall, but he has scored a rushing touchdown in every game, with 18 total scores. The flu held him to just 8 carries against the Hoosiers, but he should be back to full strength on Wednesday.
Concerns against UGA
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
What Georgia players are you most concerned about?
The Bulldogs’ defensive line is dominant, especially Mykel Williams, and have given the linebackers room to roam. The two that have benefited the most from this has been Jalon Walker and Chaz Chambliss. Both of them will have the job of stopping Love, which won’t be an easy task. Each of them have the capability of making life miserable for Notre Dame.
Prediction
Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Georgia owns the all-time series between the two teams, 3-0, but this is a different Notre Dame team that they have faced. Their confidence is sky-high, and they believe that they can beat anyone. This will be a slug-it-out game, but the Irish barely prevail.
Prediction: Notre Dame 24, Georgia 20
