Get the inside scoop on the Sugar Bowl with odds and predictions for the Georgia Bulldogs vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Don't miss out on the action!
- Date & Time
- December 31st, 2024
- Teams
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will meet the Georgia Bulldogs for the fourth time ever on New Year’s Day in the Sugar Bowl. Notre Dame has yet to beat Georgia in the three previous meetings between these two teams, and the Bulldogs’ 17-10 victory over the Fighting Irish in the 1981 Sugar Bowl led to the program’s national championship. Their most recent two meetings were even closer games with Georgia knocking off Notre Dame 20-19 in South Bend in 2017, and the Bulldogs beating the Fighting Irish 23-17 in Athens back in 2019.
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Sugar Bowl Georgia Bulldogs vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Georgia Bulldogs -1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish +1 Total 45
Although Georgia will be without starting quarterback Carson Beck for this game, the Bulldogs are still favored to beat the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame was originally favored by the opening CFB betting line after its win over Indiana coupled with the news of the Beck injury, but bettors pushed the line in Georgia’s favor. There has been little move in the total though as the opening number was 44.5.
Georgia Bulldogs Overview
Carson Beck declared for the NFL Draft on Sunday, ending his collegiate career and putting to rest any lingering questions on whether or not he would return to Georgia this postseason. Gunner Stockton will now be the starting quarterback, and you have to wonder how much of the playbook will be open to him given what we have seen from him in limited action. Stockton saw time in blowout wins over Tennessee Tech and Massachusetts before filling in for Beck against Texas in the SEC Championship Game. In those three appearances, he completed 25 of 32 passes for 206 yards with an interception.
That means Notre Dame is likely to see a heavy dose of Georgia’s two running backs. Nate Frazier ran for 634 yards and eight touchdowns this season, while Trevor Etienne ran for 571 yards and nine scores. The offensive line is solid and will give Stockton time, but he doesn’t have great options at receiver. Arian Smith leads the team with 47 receptions for 750 yards and four touchdowns, but this position group is seen as relatively weak by recent standards.
Georgia boasts an excellent defensive line once again, but the Bulldogs aren’t as strong in the back seven. That has led to the defense being merely good instead of great this season, allowing 21.8 PPG and 353.8 YPG. Jalon Walker is the main player to watch on this side of the ball for Georgia as he is expected to be a first-round pick alongside teammates Mykel Williams and Malaki Starks.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Overview
We haven’t seen Notre Dame have much luck against SEC teams in recent memory, but Fighting Irish fans have to be feeling good about their chances here. Marcus Freeman has made this team much better on the defensive side of the ball than in past seasons, and the offense is good enough to control the clock and keep the defense well-rested.
Duke transfer Riley Leonard has been a quality dual-threat quarterback for the Irish. Leonard completed 66.8% of his passes for 2,293 yards (7.1 YPA) with 17 touchdowns and six interceptions. Additionally, he has run for 751 yards (5.6 YPC) and 15 touchdowns, and Georgia fans have to be nervous considering how much trouble Haynes King gave them in their regular season finale.
Jeremiyah Love is Notre Dame’s leading rusher with 1,057 yards (7.4 YPC) and 16 touchdowns on the season, but there is not a go-to receiver. No player has more than three receiving touchdowns or 450 receiving yards for the Fighting Irish this season.
The Fighting Irish are allowing just 13.8 PPG and 4.4 yards per play this season. They have an excellent secondary, and they will show a lot of Cover 1 and Cover 3 looks that could confuse Stockton.
Sugar Bowl Prediction
One of my biggest concerns for betting Notre Dame is the field goal kicking. The Fighting Irish rank dead last in the country, making just 47.6% of their field goals this season. In a low-scoring game, that could make all the difference, but I still like Notre Dame as an underdog. The under is my favorite play though.
Final Score: Notre Dame 20, Georgia 17
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