Kirby Smart defends decision to be aggressive on play that led to fumble, eventual Notre Dame touchdown

Kirby Smart wanted to show he had full faith in Georgia‘s new starting quarterback Gunner Stockton.

Except that late-first half gamble failed miserably as Stockton was sacked and fumbled the ball back to Notre Dame with with 33 seconds left in the second quarter.

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The Fighting Irish took full advantage of the Bulldogs’ second turnover of the first 30 minutes as Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard hit Beaux Collins on the next play for a 13-yard touchdown for a 13-3 halftime lead in Thursday’s Sugar Bowl, a College Football Playoff national quarterfinal from New Orleans.

Smart admitted being aggressive with Notre Dame holding a 6-3 lead in the final minute of the first half might not have been the best decision in hindsight.

“Well, I would say we tried to be aggressive in two-minute and probably regret it, right? Go to the half 6-3,” Smart told ESPN sideline reporter Laura Rutledge heading into halftime. “But we wanted to show confidence in our quarterback and let him go play, we didn’t get the block we needed to get and they made a good play.”

Following a go-ahead 48-yard field goal from Notre Dame kicker Mitch Jeter for a 6-3 lead with 39 seconds remaining in the first half, Stockton dropped back to take a shot downfield on the first play.

But Irish defensive end RJ Oben beat Bulldogs left tackle Monroe Freeling around the edge and hit Stockton’s arm while in his throwing motion to force the strip-fumble that Junior Tuihalamaka recovered at the UGA 13-yard line.

Notre Dame made the most of the opportunity one play later as Leonard and Collins connected on the game’s first touchdown for a 13-3 lead heading into halftime.

Stockton, making his first career start in place of injured senior Carson Beck, was fairly effective in the first half, completing 9-of-14 passes for 142 yards. But it was his late fumble that swung momentum in Notre Dame’s favor.

Georgia’s Parker Jones flagged for running into referee on sideline

Georgia walk-on cornerback Parker Jones isn’t even dressed out for Thursday’s Sugar Bowl against Notre Dame, but he still received a penalty.

Jones bumped an official who was running down the sideline after a long pass from Gunner Stockton to Arian Smith early during the second quarter. He stepped into the white area on the sideline that is reserved for officials and the official ran into him.

The pass from Stockton to Smith went for 67 yards, and Georgia would have had the ball at the Notre Dame 11. However, instead the ball was backed up to the 26. The Bulldogs ended up settling for a field goal on the drive for an early 3-0 lead.

Matt Connolly contributed to this report.