By Brett Martel
Riley Leonard handed for a landing, Jayden Harrison returned a kickoff 98 yards for a rating, and Notre Dame’s protection made it maintain up in a 23-10 victory over No. 2 Georgia within the Sugar Bowl on Thursday that despatched the third-ranked Preventing Irish into the semifinals of the Faculty Soccer Playoff.
In a recreation that was delayed by a day due to a lethal terror assault within the host metropolis, Notre Dame (13-1, CFP No. 5) made sufficient large performs and acquired some assist from a intelligent transfer by coach Marcus Freeman.
“Our coaches called the game aggressive. Our players executed, put everything on the line for this university and this football team,” Freeman stated. “I’m really proud of them. Proud of the way they handled the events of the last 24 hours.”
Georgia (11-2, CFP No. 2) was in place to shut inside one rating when Notre Dame stopped it on fourth-and-5 from the Irish 9-yard line with 9:29 to go.
Minutes later, Notre Dame had a fourth-and-short deep in his personal territory when Freeman despatched the punt crew out earlier than operating all 11 gamers off the sector and sending the offense out. Georgia raced to match up after which jumped offside because the play clock ticked down, giving the Irish a clock-sapping first down with 7:17 to go.
“They were going to hard-count us. We prepare for that. We do it every week,” Georgia coach Kirby Sensible stated. “We jumped offsides.”
By the point the Bulldogs acquired the ball again, simply 1:49 remained, and Notre Dame was properly on its option to its twelfth straight victory and a date with No. 5 Penn State (13-2, CFP No. 6 seed) in a semifinal on the Orange Bowl in Miami on Jan. 9.
“That’s the aggressiveness in terms of our preparation that I want our program to have,” Freeman stated. “That’s got to be one of our edges, that we are going to be an aggressive group and not fear making mistakes.”
Georgia entered the sport with out beginning quarterback Carson Beck, who injured his elbow within the Southeastern Convention championship recreation. He was changed by Gunner Stockton, who was 20 of 32 for 234 yards and one landing.
The Bulldogs outgained Notre Dame 296 yards to 244, however Georgia was stopped on all three of its fourth-down makes an attempt and misplaced two fumbles — one deep in Notre Dame territory and one inside its personal 20.
“The turnovers are the difference in the game, guys,” Sensible stated. “I mean, you should know when you turn it over twice and they return a kickoff for a touchdown, you’re not going to have a lot of success.”
Leonard completed with 90 yards passing and a team-high 80 yards speeding, together with a late first-down run by which he was despatched head over heels as he tried to leap over a defender.
“We’re in the playoffs,” Leonard stated. “Everybody else can put their body on the line, I’m going to do it right there with them.”
The sport had been set for Wednesday evening as a part of a New Yr’s Day playoff tripleheader, however it was postponed after an Military veteran impressed by the Islamic State group drove a pickup truck right into a crowd on Bourbon Avenue early Wednesday morning, killing 14 revelers. Safety was elevated on the Superdome — which may also host the Tremendous Bowl subsequent month — and arriving followers stated they felt protected.
With some followers unable to change their journey plans, attendance within the 70,000-seat stadium was introduced at 68,400. There have been some patches of empty seats within the higher ranges, however passionate supporters made no scarcity of noise making an attempt to will their groups into the subsequent spherical of school soccer’s first 12-team playoff.
The sport was tied at 3-all earlier than Notre Dame scored 17 factors in a span of 54 seconds.
The bizarre sequence started with Mitch Jeter’s 48-yard area purpose with 39 seconds left in first half.
Quickly after, Georgia paid for a call to try a drop-back go from its personal 25. RJ Oben’s blind-side sack triggered Stockton to fumble on the 13, the place Irish defensive lineman Junior Tuihalamaka recovered. Leonard discovered Beaux Collins over the center for a landing on the subsequent play for a 13-3 lead that stood at halftime.
By the point 15 seconds had elapsed within the third quarter, Notre Dame led 20-3.
Harrison took Georgia’s second-half kickoff all the way in which to the tip zone, slipping a sort out close to the center of the sector, chopping towards the suitable sideline and outrunning everybody.
Georgia closed the hole to 20-10 when Stockton hit reserve operating again Money Jones for a 32-yard rating earlier than Jeter’s third area purpose of the sport gave the Irish their profitable margin.
Takeaways
Notre Dame: With a dominant protection and the dual-threat nature of Leonard’s playmaking, the Irish look harmful heading into the semifinals.
Georgia: A crew making an attempt to win large video games with out its beginning QB can’t afford large errors, and missed alternatives doomed the Bulldogs and Sensible, who must wait a 12 months for an additional probability at his third nationwide title.
Up subsequent
Notre Dame: The Irish resume a collection with the Nittany Lions that’s presently even at 9-9-1.
Georgia: The 2025 season opener can be at dwelling in opposition to Marshall on Aug. 30.
