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Notre Dame Defense Stifles Georgia For A Sweet Sugar Bowl Win

Story via ND athletics communications

The University of Notre Dame football team (13-1) stifled Georgia’s offense (11-3) to earn a 23-10 victory in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans’ SuperDome. Notre Dame will move on to face Penn State in the CFP Semifinals which will be held in the Orange Bowl next week. 

The Irish utilized timely offensive plays, big special team moments and a physical attacking defense to hold Georgia to just 62 rush yards in the game. When it mattered most Notre Dame’s defensive 11 held the Bulldogs to 0-3 on fourth down in the game. 

Riley Leonard passed for 90 yards and a touchdown while rushing for another 80 yards to be named the Sugar Bowl offensive player of the game.

The game shifted late in the first half when Notre Dame kicked a field goal, forced a fumble on the next play, then scored on the first snap after the turnover to take a 13-3 lead into halftime. 

Notre Dame’s defensive effort was highlighted by herculean efforts from Adon Shuler (eight tackles), Xavier Watts (named the defensive player of the game with seven stops), Jack Kiser (six tackles, one sack) and Junior Tuihalamaka (four tackles, one sack). 

The win evens out Notre Dame’s all-time CFP record at 2-2 and knocks off the No. 2 Associated Press ranked team for the first time since 1990. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Irish defense stopped Georgia in three plays to start the game with each play taking place behind the line of scrimmage. Jaylen Sneed started the game with a tackle for loss, followed by another play behind the line by Joshua Burnham. Jack Kiser, playing in his Notre Dame record 68th career game, sacked the quarterback and forced Georgia to punt on third down.

Notre Dame could not move the ball on their first possession and punted back to the Bulldogs. Georgia marched deep into Notre Dame territory by converting on two third-down plays. On third and one at the Notre Dame 16-yard line, Trevor Etienne looked like he earned another first down but Adon Shuler performed a perfect tackle to jar the ball loose. It was the first fumble of Etienne’s career, recovered by Jaiden Ausberry at the 10-yard line and the Irish denied a Bulldog red zone opportunity.

A Riley Leonard to Jordan Faison pass for 14 yards provided the initial first down of the game for the Notre Dame offense, but a short run, pass and a false start penalty brought up a third-and-long on the first play of the second quarter. Leonard found Jayden Harrison for a pass short of the line to gain and the Irish were forced to punt again.

Georgia looked long on its first play and completed a 66-yard pass down to the 11-yard line. A sideline interference call on Georgia pushed the ball back to the 26-yard line and the Irish defense stopped the Bulldogs cold at that spot. A Jaylen Sneed pressure on third down forced an incompletion and Georgia had to settle for a 41-yard field goal and a 3-0 lead.

Notre Dame moved the ball down the field led by Riley Leonard’s running ability. He earned a first down on a quarterback draw then broke through for a 32-yard run to the Georgia 29-yard line. A short run and an incompletion brought up third-and-seven. The Irish tried to hit Jaden Greathouse on a quick screen pass but the Bulldogs sniffed it out for no gain. Mitch Jeter came in and calmly connected on a 44-yard field goal to tie the game a 3-3 with 8:20 left in the first half.

Junior Tuihalamaka helped keep Georgia off the scoreboard on the next drive. First, the Irish defensive end sacked the quarterback on the first play of the drive. The Bulldogs were able to get the yardage back on a pass over the middle for 21 yards. UGA earned a second-and-short on a run, but on the next play Tuihalamaka stuffed the ball carrier for a loss to bring up third and three. Jordan Clark ended the possession with a great pass break up on third down and Georgia punted.

Notre Dame earned one first down on its next drive but had to punt again. The Irish defense rose up to quickly push Georgia off the field in three plays and get the ball back with just over three minutes left in the half on their own 38-yard line.

A connection from Lenoard to Greathouse gave the Irish a third-and-one at the 47 at the two-minute timeout. Leonard dove through the line for a first down to keep the drive alive. A completion to Mitchell Evans for a first down put the Irish closer to pay dirt, but on the next play Georgia sacked Leonard for a huge loss back to the 40-yard line.

Leonard got 10 yards back on a keeper. A follow up incompletion brought out Jeter for another long field goal and the senior kicker stepped up to connect on a 48-yard attempt and put the Irish ahead 6-3 with 39 seconds remaining in the half.

That would not end the first half scoring, however.

Georgia dropped back to pass on their first play and RJ Oben beat the left tackle around the edge and sacked Bulldog quarterback Gunner Stockton. Oben also dislodged the ball, which was recovered by Tuihalamaka at the 13-yard line.

On the next play, Leonard executed a great play-action fake, Beaux Collins beat his man over the middle and the touchdown pass put the Irish up 13-3 at the break. Notre Dame had scored 10 points in 11 seconds.

It did not take long for the Irish to score again the next time they touched the ball after halftime.

Jayden Harrison received the kickoff at the two, made one player miss cut to the outside and out-raced the Georgia kickoff team for a scintillating 98-yard kick return touchdown.

The teams traded three-and-outs before Georgia was able to score their first touchdown of the game via the big play. Passes of 19 yards, nine and then 32, the last for a score, cut the Notre Dame lead to 20-10 with 9:36 left in the third quarter. The Bulldogs had momentum at the time but would not score again.

Evans earned the Irish a first down out to their own 41-yard line on the next series of plays. Jadarian Price at first looked like he gained 25 yards around the right side, but the Irish were whistled for holding and the call buried the Irish back at the 36-yard line.

A short pass brought up third down and 13. Leonard found Faison over the middle who fought for the first down but was held just short at midfield. Notre Dame went for the fourth down but Leonard was stopped just inches short on the keeper.

Notre Dame’s defense stepped up to the forefront and earned a dramatic four-and-out. Bryce Young stuffed the runner short on third down to bring up fourth and two. Georgia lined up to go for it and committed a false start to bring out the punt team.

With the punt team on the field, Notre Dame was then called for a delay of game penalty, which was another way of saying they induced Georgia to go commit another false start. The Bulldogs sent back out their offense for a fourth-down attempt with two yards to go. The Irish called a perfectly timed blitz to pressure the quarterback and while a pass was completed, it was well short of the first down and the Irish got the ball back.

Leonard scramble for a first down across midfield, then Price for eight yards on the bounce out and on the next play bounced left this time for another first down to the Georgia 33-yard line. Faison then picked up six around the right side on a hand off to end the third quarter. The drive stalled there, however. Jeter came on and connected on his third field goal of the game to put the Irish up 23-10 with 13:47 remaining.

Georgia gained some momentum with a 28-yard run, then 11 more on a check down pass when they got the ball back. Leonard Moore broke up a pass and Drayk Bowen had a tackle-for-loss to bring up a fourth-and-13. Georgia threw deep and were bailed out by a questionable pass interference call on Jack Kiser to gift the Bulldogs a first down at the 14-yard line.

The Notre Dame defense would not be denied their stop. Tuihalamaka pressured the quarterback on third down to bring up fourth down at the nine-yard line. Georgia threw to the end zone but Rod Heard II was there in great coverage and the Irish got the ball back.

The Irish needed a few first downs and got two clutch plays from Leonard and Aneyas Williams. On third and four, Williams caught a pass out of the backfield and seemed to get a first down, but another questionable review by the officiating crew put the Irish short of the line to gain.

Notre Dame sent out the punt team, but then traded out for the offense when the play clock started. Georgia ran their defense back and in the confusion jumped offsides to give the Irish a first down.

A Leonard keeper earned Notre Dame another first down and the Irish started to focus on running out the clock. A punt put Georgia deep in their own territory and a Donovan Hinish sack on fourth down sealed the victory for Notre Dame who ended the game in victory formation.